


"Why Won't You Smile at Me?"

by Byuugyyi_Mijnuijo



Series: "Why Won't You Smile at Me?" [1]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Haphephobia, Mystery Yandere, Other, Reader-Insert, Yandere Jevil
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2020-10-25 15:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 110,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20726564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Byuugyyi_Mijnuijo/pseuds/Byuugyyi_Mijnuijo
Summary: "I WISH TO SEE YOUR SMILE AND GLEE!BUT, YOU CAN’T SEE THE FREEDOM WE’D BE!WELL, IN A GAME FOR YOU,  I REFUSE TO LOSE!MY WORLD, MY WORLD! I REVOLVE AROUND YOU!ALL YOUR PAWNS WILL QUIVER AND BREAK!IT'S MY TURN NOW! AND MY PIECE MOVES TO...CHECKMATE."All inquiries or anything of the sort can be sent to: jevilfanart@gmail.com





	1. An Unwanted Encounter

The mess hall of the castle was filled with jovial laughter. The various guards and residence of the castle were enjoying their well-earned dinner. Pleasant commentaries filled the room with many of them speaking to each other about how their day went or what they are planning on doing later. Everyone at this castle was enthralled to hang out and eat with one another.

Well... everyone but one...

The crisp sound of the page turning, and eyes trained on the written words inside. You grit your teeth from a particularly loud darkner screaming for some reason or another. You tried your best to block out the sounds of those morons but you would be lying if you said that you were good at doing so. Focusing on the inked out letters in front of you, your attempt to get sucked back into the history of the Card Castle.

You wanted to know more about your workplace, as you have little knowledge of the current or former state of this place at all. Plus, you did just recently become a guard at the castle and knowing the history did seem to be important if you wanted to understand your job a bit better. You flick to the next page, eager to keep sucking up the interesting knowledge found within. You felt like you were really their, back in the days when the lighteners still roamed in the dark world.

A small hand begins tapping on the table in front of you, and you look up with a scowl tight on your lip, ready to tell off whoever dared to disturb your sacred reading session. The face of a snake-like darkner with shimmering green scales and the most chill grin one could image greets your features. Oh, it's just your partner Rudinn... You drop your scowl, morphing it into a displeased frown. 

“Hey dude, (Y/N).” Rudinns drawling, un-stressed vocals fill the atmosphere. You sigh slightly, annoyed with the Rudinns intrusion. You grab the crumpled up paper laying on the table in front of you and place it inside the book, resting it down and closing it gently. “Rudinn, what do you want?"

The serpents smile raises on his face, as he taps once again on the wooden surface. “Well, is was wondering if you might want to go back to our room. I mean I know that this isn't like, really your scene.” Rudinn removes his hand from the table and starts rummaging around in his hat. His eyes light up with sparkles, pleased with whatever he has found. He pulls a key out of it and holds it out to you. “You don't have to stay here if you don't want to, bro.” The key dangled on the edge of his mittened hand, a beautiful diamond engraved on the top of it. 

Your eyes grew a little softer at the Rudinn. He was a considerate darkner that's for sure and you were grateful to have a partner that understands and respects your space like this. Although, he was wasting his kindness on the likes you. You shake your head, itching the side of your scalp. 

“I would if I could, Rudinn, But I was unfortunate enough to be assigned clean-up duty tonight." Ah, clean up duty... the dread of guards everywhere. Everyone had it at some point and everyone loathed it with all there being. All it meant was that you had to clean up the mess hall and kitchen after dinner or you would have to suffer some sort of punishment. You heard that the last guy that ditched his clean up duty had to be the personal guard for the King of Spades for a week. A fate that most would say was way worse than death.

The snakes face crumples slightly."Oh. Tough break, dude!” He opens pulls his hood out from the side and slides the key inside. "Yeah, I'm not looking forward to it." You agree, eyes narrowing just thinking about the back-breaking scrubbing you're going to do tonight.

Your partners head tilts as his eyebrow raises. "Wait... doesn't the castle usually give clean-up duty to both partners?" A light concern shines on the serpents face, his tail swishing. "...Do I have clean up duty too?" The corners of your mouth fall even further, as you clench your teeth, one of your eyes twitching. 

"Yeah! Keyword usually!" You grab the book in front of you and open it, taking out the crumpled piece of paper and tossing it in front of the serpent. "I had this thing thrown at me by the mail-darkner right before I sat down to eat and I have no clue who the hell would sign off on this."

The darkner eye's the paper, before scooping it up and smoothing it down on the table. The snake curiously scans through the document before his eyes narrow at a particular part of the paper. " (Y/N) you will be assigned to clean with... Three question marks in a row?" He lowers the paper, confused and staring at you as if you could actually provide an answer.

"See? Why the hell is my clean up buddy a mystery?" You throw your fist down at the table, causing cracks to cascade from the impact. You would care about the damage you've caused but these tables were plenty damaged already with holes and cracks covering them plank-to-plank. "Hey, hey dude... chill..." said the Rudinn, putting both of his hands up. Your eye-brows fall as you lean away from the table, sighing."Well now, you know that I have no idea who my fellow cleaning darkner could be." You open up your book again, signaling that the conversation was over.

“I just hope that whoever it is actually, helps.” You lean into the book, as you hear a grunt from the Rudinn before he slithers away. The corners of your mouth perk up into a small smile, happy that you could finally start reading again. You stare down at the pages of the book again, whisking yourself away from the sad life you live. 

Gradually, the darkners began leaving. All probably going back to their rooms for their much-needed sleep. Heavens knows you wish you could do the same. "(Y/N) I'll leave our door unlocked so you can get inside, okay?" The Rudinn whispers next to you, startling you and taking you out of your wonderful fantasy the book graced you with. You take your eyes off the page, bring them up to the snake. "Thanks..." You mumble at him, blinking then returning your eyes to your book. Before you retreated fully you could see a smile grow on his face, satisfied with that half-hearted thanks you gave him.

You could pick up the sounded of his body slithering away, and you can feel a worried frown emerge on your face. He shouldn't be trying to help you or appease you...

you weren't worth the effort.

After he left, the strange silence compelled you to glance at the world around you. Rudinn must have been the last guard here because there is not a creature in sight. But what was visible.... was the mother of all messes.

Chunks of disgusting food grime cover the tables and walls of a section of the cafeteria. Your jaw drops eye twitching, Did someone start a food fight or something?! A brown glob of filth splats on your table, nearly hitting you with its disgustingness. You instantly jump out of your seat gagging from the nauseating stench, you hold your shirt over your nose as you, hesitantly look up at the ceiling. You wince as you see spots of colorful vomit inducing sludge randomly coating the heavens above you. You grimace, wondering how in the dark world you managed not to hear the war that happened in this room. God, what else couldn't you hear when you're reading. 

You swear under your breath at those loud obnoxious other employees. How were you supposed to clean all of this up? You put your book away into your book bag and set it under the thankfully, clean undersides of the tables. You stare at the ceiling tapping your foot. Was there any way you could even reach the ceiling to clean it up? It was too high up to hit with a mop and throwing stuff up there didn't seem like a good option...

You turn around, no longer wanting to even think about the natural disaster that was that part of the cafeteria. You walk over to the kitchen doors, pushing them open with ease. You step inside and can feel the hope die in your eyes. Right next to the kitchen's sink was a massive pile of dirty dishes. And by massive you mean, that the stack nearly hit the ceiling. The tower of dishes swayed from the weight of the dinnerware. The tower looked like it was a gust of wind away from toppling over, 

Your soul sunk into the darkest crevice of your chest. There was no way you could clean all of this up on your own and still get any sleep... You hope that whoever the mystery darkner is loves cleaning because otherwise, you're going to be here until the nonexistent sun rises. The sun... You really missed seeing that thing around. You grumble to yourself, peeking over at the ticking clock on the wall. Ten-thirty... it was ten-thirty and the triple question mark darkner was nowhere to be seen. You sigh, you were going to have to clean this place up yourself aren't you... your partners a no show. 

Your shoulders tighten as you stomp over to the sink, turning its knobs to get the water running. You squirt some dish soap in the rising liquid. As the water and bubbles rise you look around the kitchen to figure out what else might need to be cleaned.

You run around the kitchen searching on the countertops and the floors but were unable to find any other semblance of a mess. You glanced over into the cafeteria. You frown as you see a pile of dirty dishes just sitting on top of one of the tables. You massage the bridge of your nose with your hand as your eyes narrow.

Could these guys really not put their dishes in the right place?

Grumbling about how inconsiderate whoever put those there was, you walk back into the cafeteria. You nearly choke when the stench of the room hits your nostrils. God, how did you read in here before without vomiting from the putrid stench? You grab the pile and try to quickly carry it back to the sink, not wanting to have to stare at the grime any longer.

You walk back in and move over to the sink to place the dished next to it. But, the bath you were planning for the dishes had been completely drained. You groan and shaking your head. 

“Dammit, this plug must have something wrong with it..." You were going to have to look for a new one, with gritted teeth. You set your gaze on the sink on the other side of the kitchen and move over to it. You scan the area around the sink but... there, unfortunately, was no drain left to be found.

You were about to turn around defeated and head back to the other sink but a squeak tears through the kitchen, soon followed by the sound of rushing water. Goosebumps appear on your skin, why do you suddenly feel like your not alone? You glance back at your original sink, expecting to see a knife-wielding manic but... there was no one there. The running water was the only thing stopping you from brushing off what just happened as a hallucination. You cautiously make your back towards the sink, eyes darting around, just waiting for something to pounce on you from the shadows.

Your eyes widen as your jaw drops from seeing the sink, filled up perfectly with water and soap... You blink at the mixture, rubbing your eyes. But... but... You yell out in frustration, banging your head against the countertop next to the sink. 

There wasn't a good explanation for the events that have just transpired. Maybe, you were just tired?

Seeing things? Well, you were also hearing things in that case...

Are you just going insane?!

A nightmarish, playful cackle screams out from right behind you. "BWA HA HA HA HA!!! UEE HEE HEE HEE!!!" The voice was... energetic filled with an excitement that made your skin crawl. You turn pale as a ghost, spinning yourself around to meet this beast with your wide terrified eyes. But all that was there were the checker-board countertop and plain black walls of the kitchen. A cold sweat drop trickles down your face, splashing onto the floor below. This is it. You were going to die. The saddest part of all was that you were never going to get to finish that book you were reading... and it was a good book too. You search around and take a step forward, your soul pounding so hard that you thought it was going to burst. 

Something taps your arm, and you scream like a little girl. You twist around to try to face this manic once again but you trip mid-turn, falling down to the ground with all the grace of a 2nd grader picking their nose. You hit the ground back first, harshly hitting the back side of your noggin. You wince, eyes closing from the impact. 

“BWA HA HA! THAT'S THE MOST FUN, FUN I'VE HAD IN AGES!” The voice booms overhead, and you freeze in terror. You slowly open your eyes, shaking in fear. 

He had an eerie smiling face with sharp yellow teeth, that looked perfect for ripping off pieces of darkner flesh. His pin-prick pupils glowed a bright yellow, inside his blacked out sockets. His pointy ears perked up, clearly delighted by the sight he was seeing before him. He had a sickly dull blueish tone to his skin, and to top it all off he had a black cape on... 

The darkner was floating up in the air above you... awfully close to your shivering body. Your eyes widen, a horrific realization hitting you on the head with a two-by-four. The pointed teeth.., the dull skin... the glowing eyes... the dark cape... 

He’s a Vampire!

You ready yourself and do what any reasonable darkner would do in this situation. You clench your hand into a tight fist and sucker-punch him with the force of a bullet train. The vampires being flies through the air and crashes face-first into the left wall. A spider web of crakes shoots out from the stranger's impact site. 

"OH!" The vampire cries out from inside the wall, muffling his voice. He places his hands on either side of the hole, pushing against the wall to free his head from its grip. 

You quickly get up, fists up and ready to strike on a moments notice. You wearily look at the creature and tilt your head confused. Why does the vampire... have a tail? Before you had much time to contemplate this, he succeeds in removing his head out of the hole. The second it left its plastered prison, you watch in horror as a spring flings his head off high into the air. 

“NU-HA! YOUR FUN, FUN TO PLAY WITH!” The disembodied head cheerfully shouts out, making you feel sick to your stomach. That is... not okay. That is something straight out of a horror movie... His head falls back down onto his shoulders, clicking back into place. A light purple bruise was plain on the darkners cheek, and you felt a surge of pride. It was nice to see that you could still leave a mark. 

You raise an eyebrow at the stranger, looking at him up and down... and the more you saw, the more you realized that your first impression was... quite a bit off. A black and purple jester hat sat proudly on his head, and the rest of his outfit certainly matched that jester look. You've never heard of a vampire that wore a silly outfit like that. Also, being able to do... that with his head kinda ruled out the idea of him being a bloodsucking beast.

You back up away, eyeing the door out of the kitchen. “W-Who are you?” You ask, and you curse your stutter for giving away your fear. 

The stranger giggled, amusement sparkling in his yellow pinprick eyes. "UEE HEE HEE! YOU WANT TO KNOW, KNOW!!" He levitates up into the air and places himself on the countertop. He bends his knees, then jumps up into the air, performing a double front flip. He lands on the ground inches away from where you were, and bows. “THEY CALL ME JEVIL!!!" 

You take a step back, not at all comfortable with how close the fool was getting. The jester hops out of his bow and points a finger towards you with a massive grin on his face. "YOU’RE THAT NEW GUARD (Y/N), (Y/N) ARE YOU NOT?” Your eyes widen, surprised that he knew that information. Your eyes narrow, and you frown at the fool. "What do you want from me?" 

Jevil's pinprick eyes shrink in his face as his mouth goes agape. "OH! YOU DON'T KNOW, KNOW!!" He performs an exaggerated gasp as his eyes curve even further upwards, and his smile turns somehow even larger than before. "HE HE HE!! SUPRISE, SUPRISE!" A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes. You open your mouth to ask what he meant by that but before you could he darts towards you and grabbing your hand. 

"I'M YOUR CLEANING BUDDY." He cheerfully declares, intertwining his fingers with yours. Your entire being tenses up, and you can hear your soul nearly beating out of your chest. 

He's touching you...

“I'M SO EXCITED TO FINALLY MEET, MEET YOU!” He shakes your hand, with the energy of a nuclear power plant. He pulls you up and down, shaking your entire body with each of his movements. You stare at his hand around yours, your pupils shaking from the spine-tingling sight. 

You don't like being touched.

No, You hate being touched.

You pulled your hand away from his unwanted gesture as fast as you could, dizzy from the sporadic movement. You cross your arms over each other, protecting them from the fools awful touch. You glare at this so-called Jevil. “Ok, Jevil. Did you have to scare me like that at our first meeting? I thought I was about to get dusted!”

“HE HE HE, YOUR EXPRESSIONS WERE PRICELESS, (Y/N),” Jevil said with a playful, joy-filled voice. God, you really didn't like this guy's attitude. Considering how Jevil seemed to be dressed as a jester of some kind, he was probably just “Making a joke” out of your terror.

Speaking of looking like a jester, “So, are you one of the Jokers of the castle?” Jevil does a little twirl in mid-air and yells. “YES, YES!”

God, he must be the fool then. The fool was known to be a lot more bombastic and sporadic than its magician counterpart. At least that what you could glean from your history book.

“We should really get working on cleaning this place.” You stated to the entertainer in front of you. He currently was having fun spinning into a variety of positions in the air. He placed his hand on his chin in contemplation. “HMM…. SHOULD WE?” You really didn't have the energy to deal with his nonsense.

You merely sigh at Jevil’s antics. “I need to get to sleep at some point so, I’d like to get this over with as soon as possible.” You turn away from Jevils twirling form and walk towards the dirty dishes, wanting to at least get some progress on your cleaning.

Right before you get to the sink, Jevil appears out of thin air in front of you. You yip and draw slightly back from his sudden appearance.

“UEE HEE HEE!” He laughs at your reaction. While annoyed at the mocking behavior, you now understand how he pulled off that trick from before.

“Oh, that's how you scared me before. Now if you'll excuse me-” You attempted to move around him to get to the sink but he moved his body in relation to wherever you stepped. “NOPE.” He sings.

Your face scrunched up in frustration.” Why not?” His smile travels even farther on his face and he answers back. “HEE. HEE. WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO, DO!” He points his finger out And you follow his hand to the deep cracks on the wall.

Oh, how did you forgot about the wall damage? Panic fills your features. Goddamn, it! Why were you always like this? Why do you always ruin everything? You knew deep in your soul that something like this would happen.

Jevil walks in front of your vision with a rather smug-looking grin on his face. “I SEE YOU ARE WORRIED!” He giggles. You look at him with your worries as plain as nigh.

“WE BOTH KNOW THAT IF ONE OF THE KINGS FOUND THIS THEY WOULD HAVE YOUR HEAD.” He makes his hand cut along his throat for emphasis. “LUCKILY, YOU HAVE ME HERE AND I AM CLEVER, CLEVER! I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DEAL, DEAL MY GUARD!” He holds out his hand in front of you.

You look at his hand suspiciously. “What are the terms of this deal?” Jevil chuckles and pulls his hand back in. “UEE HEE HEE. WELL, I’LL FIX THE WALL AND CLEAN, CLEAN UP THE REST OF THE MESS.”

You're quite shocked about what he’s offering in his proposal. That sounds absolutely amazing to you. No wall to worry about... Not, having to clean any of this garbage. You could finally go to your room and sleep. But the deal was way too good to be true. You most certainly had to do something crazy for him if he was going to offer that. “That is a lot of work for your half of the deal, Jevil, I’m a little scared to ask what I have to do.”

Jevil’s tail swishes around behind him. “ I DON'T WANT MUCH, (Y/N)! ALL I WANT FROM YOU IS TO PLAY A SIMPLE GAME, GAME.”

You did not trust the vague wording of this crazy Jester at all. “What kind of game?” You said squinting your eyes at the purple fool. “What are you planning?”

Jevils face twists into shock and he defensively put his hands up “IT'S NOTHING BAD, BAD!! JUST A SIMPLE GAME OF QUESTIONS!!” He puts his hands down. And shoots a friendly smile at you. “I WANT TO KNOW MORE THINGS ABOUT YOU!”

You stare at the Jester, befuddled by his answer. “Why?” Jevil clasps his hands together, his grin growing ever larger. “HA. HA. HA. YOU'RE FUN, FUN!” Jevil leans towards you, pulling out his hand he pokes your cheek. “BOOP!” You grab your cheek, taking a step back from this childish Joker. You give him a cold, angry glare. “Could you not?”

Jevil extends his arm out to you. “WELL! DO YOU ACCEPT MY DEAL?” You stare at his hand. You want to limit your physical contact with him as much as possible.

“Do I have to grab your hand?” The jesters smiling eyes lower and he retracts his hand. Seeing Jevils face like that made you feel a little bad about rejecting the clown. But you don't regret your decision. 

“I will take your offer Jevil.” You plainly confirmed, balling your hand into a fist and shaking it at him. “Just don't ask me any really weird questions or I'll punch you into another wall.”

Jevils face sprung back to its usual cheerful expression. His eyes shimmered a bright yellow, filled with excitement. Jevil prances around skipping and hopping like a child high on sugar. His movements are somehow graceful and professional like he had done this several times before. While you were impressed by the subtleties of his movements, his enthusiasm made a pit grow in your stomach.

What's up with this guy?

Jevil steps in front of you and pirouettes on his left foot. Your foreheads almost touch as he pauses his dance, his eyes staring into your very soul.

“SHALL WE GET OUR DEAL STARTED NOW, (Y/N)?” You throw yourself back, away from the close proximity of the jester. You can hear Jevil chuckle at you. You avert your eyes from his intense gaze. “Fine.” You mumbled under your breath.

“WELL, I'LL FULFILL MY END OF THE DEAL NOW!” He floats over to the cracked wall. He removes his cape and puts it in front of the cracks. You stared at his odd actions confused. “Huh?” Spits out of your mouth.

Jevil glances back at you, his teeth shimmering in the mediocre lighting of the kitchen. “OH. (Y/N), DO YOU WANNA SEE ME MAKE THESE CRACKS DISAPPEAR?”

While you didn't want to encourage Jevil's eccentric behavior, you were rather curious about how he was planning on fixing the cracks. “I guess.” You say trying to sound disinterested in what the entertainer was doing.

Jevil's smile splits his face in half. “ALRIGHT THEN (Y/N) I’LL ASK YOU ONE QUESTION AND WHEN YOU ANSWER IT THE CRACKS WILL BE GONE, GONE!”

“Oh, this how we're doing it.” You said slightly irritated, “So, are you going to just ask me questions as you clean then?”

“YES, YES!” You put your hand to your temples, rubbing your sore head. “Whatever, what's your question?”

The Jesters tail swung back and forth. “WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE CARD GUARD?” Jevil questioned, tilting his head.

You knew your reason for joining by heart but you were not going to tell him it. He was way too loud-mouthed and suspicious in your book. “Well, you get free housing and food. That seemed like a pretty good deal to me.” You lied through your teeth.

“HE. HE. HE. FREE THINGS ARE NICE!” Jevil ripped his cape away from the wall to reveal it in pristine condition. His magic is impressive, you begrudgingly had to admit. “How do you do that?” You questioned the clown. Jevils eyes brightened up like Christmas lights and he drifted slightly closer to you.“I CAN DO ANYTHING!”

“Anything?” You curtly replied. “ANYTHING!” Jevil happily sang, floating over to the dirty dishes. What does “I can do anything” even mean? Is he just mad or… Jevils voice broke your train of thought

“ALRIGHT! (Y/N) WHAT TYPE OF MAGIC. MAGIC DO YOU OFFER?”Jevil was levitating one of the plates in mid-air. Suddenly, all of the grime was ripped off from the plate. He left nothing behind. The dish looked completely clean, almost sparkling in the drab kitchen light. The food residue just disappeared afterward. You could only guess he was teleporting the garbage into a bin somewhere.

“I provide healing and support spells that make attacks stronger or make attacks against you weaker.” That was a lie. A lie you told the king about what you knew as your magic and you were going to stick with that lie as much as you could. 

Jevil was satisfied with your answer. “BWA. HA. YOU SHOULD SHOW ME YOUR POWER, POWER SOMETIME!” Jevil was almost halfway done with the enormous pile of dishes now. If you were cleaning them you would have only had ten or so done by now. “WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?”

You placed your elbows on the counter-top on the other side of the sink and stare at Jevils magic tricks. “I enjoy reading. My favorite genre is historical non-fiction. I just like knowing what's happened in the past. I also like writing but I'm not very good at it...” You sheepishly scratch the back of your head.

He didn't even so much as blink before immediately giving you another question “WHAT DO YOU THINK, THINK ABOUT PERFORMANCE ART?” You weren't that surprised that he would bring that up. He was one of the Jokers of the castle.

Averting your eyes from the plate cleaning, you look down at the counter-top. “I don't know how I feel about them. I’ve never been able to afford a ticket to one to.”

You look back up, a clean pile of dishes greeting you. But Jevil was nowhere to be seen. You glance around, worried that he was planning something. Your eyes narrow, and your hands ball up into fists.

He's right behind you, isn't he?

“Jevil, can you stop teleporting behind me?” you say blankly, turning around to meet his face. Your body quivers under the intense, elated look in his eyes. He was only an inch or so away from your face. And unfortunately, the countertop behind you made it so you couldn't step away from his overwhelming presence. The jester hopped up in down in place, eyes brimming excitement.

“UEE HE HE! WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO ONE?” Jevil was speaking much faster than before. Your soul was screaming. Too close. Too close!

“Maybe?” You nervously cry, his presence was suffocating your ability to think. To your delight, the fool does a backflip that moves him farther away from you. “YOU SHOULD COME TO MY SHOW, SHOW! I PERFORM TOMORROW!”

You shrug your shoulders. “I don't have a ticket for your show.” Jevils tail flicks, smile unwavering. “HA. HA. HA. I CAN GIVE YOU, YOU A TICKET! ITS MY SHOW AFTER ALL!” Jevil tilted his head and winked at you. “I’LL EVEN GIVE IT TO YOU FOR FREE, FREE!” He was willing to give you a ticket for his show for free? You don't know why he would. You weren't his friend or anything. In fact you didn't like him very much at all. You did not want to be around this guy more than you needed too. But it was kind of him to offer something like that to you.

You scratch the back of your head. “If you're going to give it to me for free. I guess I'll have to come.” Jevil mouth opens for a second and his eyes go wider than normal. “YOU WANT TO GO, GO?” He questioned as if he didnt believe your answer. The corners of his mouth curl up again forming a smile even larger than before.

“YOU REALLY, REALLY WANT TO GO! BWA HA HA! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR, YOUR DECISION!” Jevil whirls around like a kid in an office chair. He chucked joyfully during his little action. It would be kind of cute if it weren't for the tenseness you felt spreading throughout your body because of it.

Why is he so cheerful about this? 

“HAPPY, HAPPY! YOU MAKE THE WORLD SPIN, SPIN AROUND!” The fool pauses mid-twirl in front of you, and he thrusts his arms out into the air.” HOW ABOUT WE, WE REVOLVE TOGETHER?” He rushes towards you, arms outstretched ready to cage you.

Your eyes widen and your throat goes dry. Oh Hell no! You throw your fist into the middle of the touch-hungry Jesters chest. His body got launched into the kitchen tile at a remarkable speed. He ended up leaving a sizable Jevil-shaped hole in the ground. Jevil slowly got up. Worry springs up on your face. He seemed awfully quiet, quieter then you had ever seen him. You gulp down the growing fear in your stomach

Was he... mad at you?

The sounds of laughter coming from the jester dis-confirmed your fears. The sound of his giggles sounded louder and more insane. With his eyes rolled up and tongue spat out he managed to squeak out some words.“ IT'S ALL TOO MUCH FUN! BWA HA HA!”

Your nose crinkled at the laughing clown. “Could you just start cleaning the mess hall already?” He was rolling on the floor clenching his gut in tears. “UEE HE HE! CHAOS CHAOS.” This guy definitely has a screw loose. And you didn't want to stick around to see his descent into madness.

You slowly start walking towards the mess hall, cautious of Jevil randomly appearing in front of you. Luckily enough, he seems quite preoccupied with his current snickering. You get to your old spot at one of the tables and sit down. You lay your head down on the table, exhausted. Jevil certainly took a toll on your mental and physical state. You take a look at the clock on the wall. “It's only eleven-thirty!” You cried out.

You have only been around Jevil for an hour but it felt so much longer than that. You yawn wishing that you could just go to sleep, but you don't trust the joker to not do something stupid to you in that vulnerable state. His echoing laughter from the kitchen didn't make for an exactly relaxing atmosphere.

You look down at the book bag that you had previously placed on the table. You would read your book but you were too tired to. Maybe, you could just rest your eyes? You tuck your head into your folded up arms staring at the table and begin slowly closing your eyes.

After all, that insanity you just went through this brief period of tranquility felt like heaven. Soon enough though that lovely feeling was crushed by the bombastic voice of Jevil. “ (Y/N) DID YOU FALL, FALL ASLEEP?” You inhale loudly and lift your head off of the table.

Jevil was, of course, sitting right next to you on the bench of the table. He was leaning over onto the table with his hand supporting his head. Jevil reached out at you with his unoccupied hand. Your body tenses up at the perspective of being touched once again. One of Jevils fingers taps your nose. “BOOP, BOOP!” You felt your blood boil with anger and you gave him the sharpest glare you could muster.

“HE HE HE. LOOK, LOOK AROUND, (Y/N)!” He said with a proud looking smile on his face. Your eyes trail towards the once filthy spots in the room. All now clean as a whistle. He must have cleaned the place while you were resting. You turn back to the jester to find that he is now laying on the table in front of you.

“I DID WELL, DID I NOT?” You skosh away from the fools laying form. “You did well enough that we won't be punished...” You stated, moving to grab the book bag you left here for safe keeping.

You were intercepted by Jevil grabbing your outstretched hand. Your entire body cringes, and you immediately try to take your hand back. However, Jevil was not going to give up that easily. Jevil’s smiling eyes seemed to have a new curious, mischievous glint in them. “BWA. HA. HA. MY DEAR Y/N, Y/N, WHY ARE YOU SO APPREHENSIVE TO MY TOUCH?” Jevil grip finally loosened enough that you could remove yourself from his grasp.

You jump away from the table trying to make plenty of room between you two. Jevil merely reappears right in front of you. You almost instinctively move away from his approaching body “IN FACT YOU, YOU DON'T SEEM TO LIKE IT WHEN I GET, GET NEAR YOU EITHER.” He joked, giggling at your reactions.

You glare at his behavior and remove your eyes from his teasing face. “I have a personal bubble and I don't like it when any other darkner gets in it.” You barked at the Jester. You know its a lot more than just a personal bubble but you would never tell him that.

“OH REALLY, REALLY?” Jevil taunted, once again moving closer to you. “Yes! Stop trying to get close to me!” You turned away from the Joker and attempted to just leave the cafeteria through the front door. As soon as the doors opened, You could hear Jevil cackling behind you. “WELL, WELL YOU WILL NOT LIKE, LIKE IT WHEN I DO THIS!” You didnt even have time to think about his statement. The warmth of his small body was suddenly on your back, and his arms wrapped around your collar bone. You felt his face nuzzling into your hair. “NUH HA HA!” Unbridled joy flowing out of his mouth, he was happier then you had ever heard him before.

Your brain fizzled out and died on contact. The embrace of another creature was too much for you. The word fear is just not enough to portray the raw emotion flowing through your soul.

You didn't want this.

You didn’t want to remember.

You didn't want to think about...

You can’t stay here any longer. 

Trembling, You put your hands in front of your face. “Please, let go.” You whimpered out, eyes threatening to spill tears.

“HUH, HUH?” Rang out of Jevil's mouth, swarming with confusion. His grip on you fades slightly and that was all that you needed. You rip yourself out of his grasp, you sprinted as out of the cafeteria. You ran as if your life depended on it, away from someone you don't think you will ever be able feel comfortable around.

Not after that. 

There was only one darkner in the mess hall now. Staring at the spot you once filled, with a strange look in his eyes. His tongue out of his mouth, licking his lips. 

“YOU'RE SO EXCITING... I CAN'T TAKE IT!"


	2. Just a Comforting Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/n) meets a fuzzy new character that seems to know a lot about the jester from last night.

Shutting the door behind you, you fall to the floor wheezing and coughing. Your body was most certainly not used to that level of physical exercise. You suck in the air greedily. Running all the way from the first floor to the fourth floor took the wind out of you but it was necessary. A throbbing pain was squeezing your muscles, and your lungs were on fire.

You locked the door behind you, mentally reminding yourself to thank the currently snoring Rudinn for leaving it unlocked for you. You crash into your nice fluffy black bed, exhausted. You slightly relax from your adrenaline-fueled panic state, on contact with the comforting surface.

It's going to be ok.

A tear rolls down your cheek, but you wipe it off with your hand. Mentally, you tried to soothe your own emotional state. You curled in on yourself, your arms wrapping around your knees.

You're safe.

You chuckle sadly. Even if that's true, you sure don't feel like you are.

Your head turns over to your loud roommate on the other side of the room. His snake-like body was spread out over his giant pile of gems and his mouth was open making the ghastly noises pounding into you as he slept. Apparently, most of the Rudinns at the castle had traded off their warm cozy mattresses to the Hathys. In exchange, each was given a large pile of gems.

You thought that Rudinn was lying to you when he first told you but after seeing him sleep on the hard rocks every night you just accepted it. Even if it was one of the stupidest things you had ever heard of. You wouldn't trade the loving embrace of a warm cushy bed for anything.

He was an idiot, but he was a kind idiot. He would always do his best to try to help you in any way he could. Even though you acted like such a rude and ungrateful darkener.

Your angry outburst from your first day here didn't even seem to faze the Rudinn. He never showed any anger or resentment for the bile you threw at him. But a part of you wished he would. If he just left you alone or hated you then maybe you wouldn't feel this guilt deep down in your soul.

He shouldn't waste his energy on you.

A wet drop of water falls on to your chest, another one follows. You lie down on the bed and cuddle a pillow into your wet face. You sobbed into the pillow, trying to keep your whining and whimpering quiet enough that the Rudinn close by wouldn't stir. You were pathetic. Bawling over your problems like a five-year-old. But you couldn't stop the floodgate of tears from falling off of your face.

All of those old memories came back one by one playing in your head as if you were watching clips from a movie. Every time one came back up you could feel your soul-shattering more and more. It was almost like a subconscious part of your mind was reminding you.

You shouldn't be the one that was still alive.

A loud clunk from the other side of your room brings you back to reality. One of Rudinn's gems had fallen off of his pile and skipped across the floor. To your horror that was the only sound, you could hear.

Rudinn was no longer snoring.

You stared at Rudinn, praying to some divine being that he wouldn't wake. He rotated slightly in the bed and started making that god awful snoring noise again. You sighed of relief, if he had woken up he might have noticed your puffy red eyes or seen your drenched pillow.

He would have wanted to console you.

Him trying to help you in a way like that… would be too much for you to handle.

You can't let that happen.

You can't let yourself grow even more attached to him.

No longer crying, you merely frowned at the wet cushion in front of you. You didn't want to have to sleep on something filled with your own sorrow.

Throwing it to the ground, you rest your head down on the bed and closed your eyes. Tossing and turning, you attempted to find a good position that you could sleep in but no matter how hard you tried you just couldn’t get comfortable. Were you just incapable of sleeping without your pillow? No, that's just ridiculous!

Sighing, you sit back up on your bed. You could try reading. It would relax your mind and hopefully get you to a state where you could finally get some shut-eye. You reach your hand over to your nightstand and grab the flashlight on top of it.

You turn it on its bright light, nearly blinding yourself. But after a couple of seconds, your eyes adjust to the new illumination of the room. That's odd, your book bag isn’t hanging off of your dresser. That's where you always put it after you retire for the night. Perhaps, you put it in one of the drawers by mistake?

Stepping off of the bed, you look through the dresser drawers one by one. There was nothing in any of them except one tattered old outfit. If your bag wasn't here then, where else could it be?

The last place you saw it was… the Cafeteria. Your hand's clench, breathing heavier.

How could you have left your book bag with….With

...HIM?

You foot slams into the dresser out of vexation. The sharp throbbing pain makes you regret doing it immediately. Your hands come out to cradle the poor damaged body part, nearly dropping your flashlight in the process.

You hop over to your bed on your usable leg and dive down on it writhing in agony. Eventually, the sharp pain dissolves into being an achy dull one.

What were you going to do? If you go down to the mess hall there's a chance that Jevil could still be there. And you couldn't face him so soon after what just happened between you two. Just the thought of what happened made you want to scream.

Instead, you point your flashlight over to your nightstand and open up its solitary drawer. Inside its blacked depths, lies a scratched up leather-bound book, and a single pen. Flipping it open to a blank page, you click the end of the pen and drag it across the page.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You left your book bag at the mess hall last night ?” Questioned Rudinn. “ I don't understand how you did that, bro. You're like, glued to your book.” You scratched the top of your head, glaring at the Rudinn.

“It was really late last night. I must have forgotten it in my rush to get to bed.” Rudinn placed his hand his chin in contemplation. You hoped that the Rudinn wouldn't try to ask any more questions about it. You were still a little shaken from last night, the crying and the “Incident”. And you didn't want him to know about it.

Rudinn removes his hand, his face filled with a mellow smile and eyes sparkling. “Dude. Why don’t I help you look for your totally rad book?”

God, even when he's excited he looks calm. You turn away from his easy-going face. “Sure, whatever.” You walk over to the door of your shared room and hold it open. Slithering over, Rudinn formed his hands into finger guns and pointed them at you.

“Thanks, Dude.” You shake your head at the Rudinn and followed him into the hallway.

You felt out of place without your book. When you were walking in the hallway, you would always have your book out. The routine was always that you would read two sentences before peeking back out at the hallway. That made it so that you wouldn't bump into anyone. But you still able to read. The main purpose of your masterfully done technique was to deter any darkner from attempting to speak with you. It worked most of the time, and if it didn't a cold hard glare usually does the trick. But now that your book was gone your normal strategy went out the window. You just prayed that no one would take particular interest in you today.

“Oh, hey it's (Y/N). We should say hi!” “WHY? They only care about BOOKS!” “ Their glare is sooo scary…” The three-headed cat-like darkner bickered amongst herselves while walking behind you and Rudinn.

Oh God, no…. Hers name was Clover, right? 

Was “hers” even the right pronoun to use for Clover?

Whatever the case, you can feel your hopes of a peaceful trip down to the cafeteria disappear. Clover was absurdly talkative. One of the most chatty darkners in this whole castle. And you, unfortunately, share the same floor as hers and the rest of her party.

But, Clover was an early bird and usually went to breakfast much earlier than this! Goddammit! Why did shes have to choose today out of all days to come in late? Your only hope is that she decides to keep her conversations to herselves.

“Huh, Where’s their book?” “You IDIOT! They must have lost it!” “Please, don't be even more angry than usual…”

The corners of your mouth morph downward. Hopefully, herselves will just gossip about you to each other instead of confronting you. But a nagging feeling in your gut told you that Clover was not the type to do that.

You glanced at the Rudinn slithering next to you. He had his chin up high. And his eyes half-lidded and tranquil. He was completely unaware of the situation that was transpiring.

“(Y/N), did you lose your book?” One of Clover’s three-eyed heads popped up right next to your face. You step backward at the curious looking heads sudden appearance but your movement was stopped by something soft and fuzzy behind you. 

“OW! You ran right into ME!” You glance over your shoulder, to your horror you hit one of the other clover heads.

Her top and left eye were both wincing from your impact. She bared her sharp teeth at you and held a look of contempt in the one still opened an eye. Cringing at the physical contact, you still tried to meet her glare with your own cold stare.

“I told you... They're going to hurt you, guys …” The final clover head whispered out from above you. Looking up you saw her face painted in worry for a second, then her eyes widen as she noticed your stare on her.

“Yip!” She squealed, as she retreated away from your still stone dead gaze.

You stood there tapping your foot and crossing your arms. You were a little panicked of the closeness of the three sisters but you hid that emotion in your own frustration at their behavior. You start walking away from the two heads still close to you, but to your not-so-much surprise, both of the two heads still interested in you moved in front of you, impeding your escape.

“(Y/N) why are you leaving?” “You can’t just RUN AWAY from ME.” “(Don’t hurt them)” You were ready to give them a lecture about what personal space was but Rudinn piped up before you.

“Hey, Clover.” Hers heads finally leave your comfort zone and stand straight up, all staring at the Rudinn. You dash away from hers coiling heads to make sure Clover couldn't redo her cage around you.

“Me and (Y/N) are kind of in a hurry right now. We don’t really have time to chit-chat. Could you gals like, talk to them later?” The first of Clover’s heads smiled, the second’s eyes narrowed showing her teeth off more, and the third’s eyes relaxed.

“Sure. Let's meet up later!” “DON’T think you’ve gotten away with this!” “Oh, good we’re leaving.” You look at Clover in solace as you see her jump all the way down the stairs in front of you.

Thank god, that nightmare is over.

The sound of snickering filled the air around you. You looked over at Rudinn who was the culprit responsible for this noise. “Man, Clover does not know how to keep hers heads to herselves!” You could feel the corners of your mouth begging to upturn. But you forced them down. You shouldn't let Rudinn see that.

You and Rudinn eventually reached the cafeteria and immediately began looking for your bookbag. You were getting more and more worried as your investigation continues on. Rudinn asked any of the darkners around if they had seen your old tattered bag anywhere and you physically searched around for it, not wanting to really speak to anyone else. Rudinn asked every single darkner around, even the cooks in the kitchen, but no dice. None of them had seen anything like it.

Meanwhile, you had looked underneath every table, in all of the garbage cans, in the silverware bins, Hell, you even searched in all the pots and pans in the kitchen. Nothing.

The more the search went on the more you could feel your soul grow darker yet, darker. You desperately wanted your current idea of the whereabouts of your prized possessions to be false. Yet, the more you seek, the more you believed it to be true. You sat down at one of the tables, defeated. Jevil probably stole your bag.

You didn't want to believe. You didn't want to have to see him again to get it back. What excuse could you give for your behavior last night? You groaned and scratched the back of your head.

God, Life sucks.

Rudinns hand taps the table, trying to get your attention. Your eyes move up to his chilled out face. “Yo, (Y/N) what if someone put it in the lost and found?” Hypothesized the Rudinn.

“The castle has a lost and found? You never told me we had one of those!” You cried out, cursing out the moron in front on you.

“Well…” Rudinn sheepishly scratches the back of his head. “I kinda forgot to tell you the first day. Sorry, about that.” You take a deep breath, quelling the growing rage you feel. This new information you have been given laid a seed of hope within you. Perhaps, Jevil (or whoever else could have found it) placed the book there.“Whatever, we might as well check it out.”

To your surprise, the lost and found area was not even in the main part of the castle. Rudinn told you that the castle kept it in one of the shacks in the back garden. You remember him mentioning before about it being the growing grounds for the food for the castle. But besides that, you knew nothing of the place.

You would be kidding yourself if you said that you were not excited to see it. After living in this completely black walled castle, having a change in scenery definitely was appealing.

When you and Rudinn stepped outside, you curiously gazed around the garden. The first thing you noted was the artificial waterfall in the middle of the garden. In front of its thunderous waves was the sculpted likeness of each of the four kings. While it was most certainly impressive, you couldn't help but scoff at how the statues were clearly exaggerating the good looks of the kings.

You and Rudinn stroll slowly through the organized colorful terrain. Neither of you was in in a real hurry, you both wanted to absorb the environment you were currently in. It was rather nice to see the different colors and shapes of each of the unique foods growing. The bright blues, purples, and reds were certainly easy on the eyes. A far more delightful palate than the just strict black of the castle.

Coming closer to the carved statues, you noticed that the four plots around it contained red roses. Each of the four plots had the roses growing in the shape of the hearts suit.

“Hey, Rudinn why are their flowers here? As far as I remember they don't produce anything edible.”You asked, a little interested.

“Oh, those are the King of Hearts roses. He insisted on having a part of the garden where there were roses so he could personally take care of them.” Rudinn shrugs his shoulders. “I guess it's like a hobby for him or something?”

You had to admit that the king was damn good at making those roses look captivating with the perfection of their care. There wasn't even a petal out of place, making it look a little artificial. It looked more like a painting than something you could actually touch….

Something you could touch...

You hurry ahead to the roses, leaving Rudinn’s confused face behind. As soon as you arrived, You knelled before them. Without thinking, you reach out to grasp one of the roses petals. Your fingers feel the softness of the flowers delicate petals. The roses couldn't have been faked with that level detail.

Huh, Guess they're real then.

“Ha ha ha...You shouldn’t be doing that... “ A strange voice chimed in. Looking over your shoulder, you can see a stitched-up, purple cat with button eyes that is grasping a wooden basket filled with magenta leaves. His body was slightly ripped and frayed making you think he must have been around for a while.

Who was this old guy?

Is he the castle’s gardener or something?

You let go of the plant's soft petals and stood up, wiping the pink pebbles from the path off of your knees. You revolve around and narrowed your eyes at the patchwork doll. He giggled at your annoyed expression.

Rudinn suddenly appears, having caught back up to you. He must have just walked to have gotten here this late. “Hey, what’s the rush?” Rudinn's eyes very slightly widened, when he notices the new darkners presence. Rudinn’s smile turns a little bigger at the cat doll.

“Hey, yo its Seam. How are you doing, man?” Seam, huh. That name did fit the darkners physical appearance. It sounded like the name someone's grandpa would have.

“Aw, If isn't one of the junior Rudinn guards. I'm doing well, just collecting some leaves I've run out of. Ha ha ha….Can't make dark candy tea if I don't have any of the ingredients to make it after all.” Seam’s button eye winked playfully at the Rudinn.

“However,” Seams expression grew quite serious, “I now need to speak to your friend without prying ears.” Rudinn glanced back and forth at you and Seam for a couple of seconds. You pleaded with your eyes for him not to leave. 

You didn't know what this guy wanted from you and the fact that he wanted to talk to you alone was a little worrying. Was he planning on reprimanding you from feeling up the roses? You hope that's all he wanted. You hope that he wasn't planning on murdering you and using your dust as fertilizer for the garden.

The Rudinn oblivious to your emotional state nodded at the patched-up darkner.

“Sure, dude.” Nonchalantly he turned to you and said. “I’ll get a head start looking through the lost and found, dude.” The treacherous snake then slithered away from you, leaving you alone with Seam. Cursing the poor Rudinn, you glare at the cat with the most intimidating look you could muster.

“What? Are you gonna scold me from touching the flowers or something?” Seam shook his head, slightly giggling as he did.

“Oh, no no no… I don't really care about that.” Seams button eyes seemed to bore into my own, shining in the outdoor light. “Ha ha ha… Such an angry one aren't you. Are you perhaps, (Y/N)?” He questioned, tilting his head to the side. 

You lift your chin, eyes narrowing suspiciously at the doll. “Why? Who wants to know?” You scoffed.

Seam smirked his eyes gleaming, “ Oh, I don't have a big fancy reason…” Seam twisted around now, no longer facing you. “I just wanted to put a face to the glare my partner keeps describing… Guess I was just meowing up the wrong tree.” He sarcastically retorted, walking towards the castle.

God damn it, he can't just leave you after dropping that bombshell. You dash after the purple cat. He looks over his shoulder at you still walking and smugly smiles. “ Oh, are you interested in having a little chat now?” You catch up to him and walk next to him, keeping a fair bit of distance between you two.

“Who is this partner of yours? And what did they say about me?” You said, crossing your arms in front of you. 

“My, how blunt you are… If I told you now, then I would spoil the surprise. That wouldn't be very fun.” You audibly groan, muttering profanities under your breath. Chuckling, He cups his face with his free hand. “ How troublesome…” His lips faintly upturn, and his button eyes grin. “ I had planned to brew myself a cup of tea out of these leaves for myself alone. But perhaps-.” He throws his paw off his cheek and gestures towards you.”You would like to join me?”

You glance at him with an annoyed melancholy frown. Why were so many darkners trying to get you to hang out with them recently? Why did they have to try to get to know you? Rudinn, Jevil, Clover and now Seam.

“Why would you want me to come?” You muttered, looking away from the purple cat.

You can hear the old cat laughing, “Well, it's rather simple, (Y/N). Tea tastes better shared...” You both were almost upon the castle.

At this point, you had two options. The first being to just walk away and go to the lost and found to meet with Rudinn. The second being following this stranger inside to god knows where to have a drink tea with him.

Obviously, the first choice is the most logical one to go with. But your intrigue of the identity of the little bird that was talking about you behind your back was overwhelming. Looks like your curiosity about the cat was going to kill you.

“Fine.” You curtly uttered.

Seam clapped his paws together and grinned. “Well, that's delightful! I hope you don't grow to regret your decision.” Your eyes just narrow in response.

Coming up to the castle, you hold open the door for the old coot. “Why, thank you.” He slips inside and you come after him. The black walls of the castle already made you miss the different hues of the garden.

“Well, where are we going to have our little tea party, Seam?” You asked him, staring into his strange button eyes. Seam wagged his finger at you and tsked. “That would ruin the fun… You’ll have to see when we get there.” You roll your eyes, at his childish behavior.

Seam dragged you up the stairs all the way up to the fifth floor. Your surprise was palpable. Rudinn said that this floor contained many of the higher ranking members of the castle private chambers. Was Seam one of them? You would've never expected that considering his ragged appearance. The doll in question must have noticed your befuddled expression because he broke out laughing.

“Ha ha ha... What? Did you think I was the janitor or something…?” He spoke, trying to stifle some of his laughter. He approached one of the first doors in front of us. The door had all four of the suits plastered on it making you raise an eyebrow. Seam jiggled the doorknob, twisting it in a precise manner. Seam stopped for a second and a loud click noise echoed from the door. 

Opening up the door, he gestures for you to enter. “Welcome to my humble abode…" Sighing, you slowly hobble your way inside.

Seam’s place wasn’t just a small cramped room like you and Rudinns part of the castle. No, it was like an actual home. Right next to the door was a small open kitchen area, that had multiple jars of shredded up leaves and other herbs. That must be where Seam keeps his tea leaves.

Beyond the kitchen was a nice living room area with a lovely coffee table that had two comfy looking chairs, and…. the most beautiful couch you had ever seen surrounding it. Its purple hide and plump cushions made you want to dive into it and be enveloped in its warm embrace. It was love at first sight.

“Feel free to make yourself at home.” Said Seam, making his way into the kitchen. 

You dashed at the sofa and leaped into the air, causing the furniture to skid across the black floor from the force of your landing. The supple cotton stuffed couch held your body lovingly, like a mother caressing their newborn child. Your mouth drooled out of the pure peace you felt from this godsend of a sofa. The bed in your room was fine. The mattress was passable. It was a decent place for you to sleep. But THIS. This is the height of luxury.

“Ha ha ha… You most certainly took my permission well …” You lift your face away from the purple heaven to glance at the cat. Seam was looking at you kindly, elbows on the countertop and paws holding up his face. Next right to him was a jar that he apparently put the leaves he gathered inside. You could see that Seam was using some diamond magic inside of the jar throwing it all around the inside cutting up all of the leaves that dared to get in its way. Thank god, the lid was on.

“This is the most comfortable thing I've ever felt.” You said, dead serious. The corners of Seams mouth turn up into a genuine smile. “Are you feeling well?.. Ha ha ha… The (Y/N) I heard about was ice cold… Yet, here you are nuzzling my furniture…” You sit up to more properly glare at the grandpa. “ Shut up.” Seam giggles and moves away from the counter. Glancing back at the jar, the leaves were now finely cut and diced. That was quick.

While you would love to shove your body back into the cushioned angel. You also wanted to take some time to look around Seams place a little. Getting up, you make your way to his extremely decorated wall. There were multiple shelves full of various strange nick-nacks. Out of the dolls, jewelry, and carved statues, one did catch your eye, a detailed lifelike replica of a carousel.

Picking it up off of the shelf, you notice that on the back of the creation was a crank. Curious, you begin turning it. The little toy came to life. The carousel spun around and all of the horses moved up and down on their poles. Small dings from a music box inside began singing a circus-like song.

Aw… That's adorable!

You gently place it back on the shelf where you found it. 

Besides, the assortment of odd objects on the wall there was also a ...Funhouse mirror? What an odd choice… Moving in front of it you saw yourself stretched out. Looking much lankier and taller than you usually did. It was a little amusing to see a distorted version of yourself in the mirror…. Smiling.

You smiling. What a rare sight.

You were actually enjoying your time here. And you were letting yourself express it.

Why?

“Tea’s ready!” Called out Seam. Moving your eyes towards the noise you see Seam entering the room carrying a silver platter with two cups and a teapot. You quickly get rid of your smile and walk back to the lovely couch. You sit back down on its cloud-like surface and look at the purple cat that sat down on the chair that resided on the other side of the table. The teapot levitated into the air and poured into the cup in front of you.

The sweet succulent aroma of the drink made you salivate at the mouth. But the hot steam coming off of it told you that you would end up burning your tongue if you took a sip right now. “Do you do this often?” You asked Seam.

The teapot landed back onto the silver tray on the table and Seam place his cup next to his face and took in the sugary fragrance. “ Do, what?..” 

“Well…” You pause and looking away from his face. “Do you often invite strangers into your residence for tea?” You said, scratching the back of your head. You were feeling a little bashful from the level of hospitality this guy had. He felt so trustworthy.

Seam placed his teacup back on the table to cool off and placed his paw on his chin and tilted his head to look above you. “No… At this time, I believe you're the first darkner I've invited over…” If you were drinking any of his tea right then you would have done a spit take.

Your face was torn up with bewilderment. “Why do you invite me then?!” Seams ears lower and his gaze lower down to his teacup. “To... apologize...” His yellow eyes looked into your own, filled with remorse. “ It is unknown to me all of what happened between you and… My partner Jevil last night… But from what I gathered…. It didn't sound pretty…”

Your stare leaves his eyes and lands on the cup in front of you, dread boiling inside of you. Jevil was his partner. He must be the Magician then, the second Joker. Jevil... Just the thought of what he did to you sent a shiver of fear down your spine. Your hands started shaking in your lap.

“ …I see... It was that bad…” Seam sighs, sounding dejected. “...Would you like to talk about it?”

Your hands reach forward and grab the teacup in front of you. Now cooled enough for consumption, you attempt to steady the cup by raising it your lips with both of your shivering hands. Taking a sip of the warm tea, it tasted like the liquid form of a blueberry flavored hard candy. The heat slipping down your throat helped calm your nerves a little. “ What do you know?” Managed to slip out of your tense throat.

“... I know Jevil got you to answer some questions by offering to clean the entire place... “ Seam pauses for a second. “... at the end of it, you ran away from Jevil...Crying... because he “embraced” you…” Seam emphasis the embraced like he was skeptical of that being the only thing that occurred. He Leaned a little closer to you, but not to close that it would set you off. “... Was it more than just a “Hug”?” He whispered.

Your eyes widen in shock at what Seam was implying. He thought Jevil…? Oh, that poor, poor old doll. All of the anxiety you felt before just evaporated from Seams monstrous conclusion. You can’t let him think that for a second longer. You fly out of your seat.

You shake your head, staring into his eyes, “No... God no!” You yelled out. You pound your hands onto the table. The teapot, teacups, and silver platter, fly into the air, coating parts of the floor and table with the delicious solution. Each piece of the porcelain tea set shatter as they hit the ground, and the platter makes a distinct twang on impact.

The stitched up cat's eyes widened, ears shooting up with alarm. Seam jumped back in his chair causing both of them to tumble to the cold black floor with a sickening thump.

Both of your hands clasp your mouth, and your eyes widen. You just caused a fragile old man to fall to the ground!

“Oh no! I’m so sorry! Are you ok?” You call out, so fast that your sentence just sounded like gibberish.

“Ha ha ha… Ha ha ha...” Seam laughed out, levitating himself off of the ground. He rotated himself until he was upright then placed his body back on the floor. You sighed out of relief that you didn't permanently damage the magician.

“Well… I didn't expect you to do that… ha ha ha!” He admitted, giggling, with a soft smile etched on his face. His snickering subsides, and his alleviated eyes bore into yours, “Thank you for being so…. Enthusiastic about your answer.” He sincerely admitted, “It lifted a great weight off of my shoulders.” He looked so tranquil, so relieved.

You could feel the corners of your mouth begging to upturn. You wanted to fight the grin back down but…

Seam needed this.

He needed the reassurance a smile would bring.

Your mouth curls up into a grin at the old cat. “It was nothing.” That smile faded as fast as came but the weight of what you did was still there.

You haven’t smiled at another for such a long time.

You begin scratching the back if your head, feeling a bit awkward after showing a semblance of care towards the doll. Still staring at his comforted face, You nervously gulp. “I do need to ask you something, Seam.”

Seams button eyes shimmer. “Oh?” Your gaze falls to your feet. “Why did you think Jevil could do something like that?” Looking back up, Seam’s soft smile forms into a frown, he turns away from you scratching his beard with his one of his paws.

“Jevil has been a little… Distant as of late. I can't fathom a reason, but its continued on for a whole month. He looked awfully sad. As if something had been eating up at him from the inside. No matter how much I tried to get him to open up… He never did.” Seams buttons look like they turned to a darker shade of orange.

“Over the last three day, He started acting more like the fool I once knew. but it was… Different. His eyes held a shine I had never seen before… I feared the worst…” Seams glanced back at you, a peaceful look plain on his fuzzy face.

“I'm grateful it wasn't true… Although,” Seam’s ears pop up and his eyes broaden. ”I am going to ask, what did cause you to flee with tears in your eyes?” I am rather curious.”

You tap your foot rapidly and glance back at the ground. Your mouth felt a little dry, should you tell him? A lingering doubt in your mind screamed at you to keep the secret to yourself. But another part of yourself…. Wanted to? You hadn't planned on admitting anything to anyone.

“Well… Uh… It actually was a hug.” You gather all of your strength to look Seam in the button eyes. “ I have Haphephobia. It's the irrational fear of being touched.” You gently cup your cheek. And glance away from Seam’s caring stare, blushing out of embarrassment.

“I can kind of function after being briefly touched but a full on hug was too much for me. I can see why you wouldn’t believe that to be the cause though…” You said, not telling the whole truth.

Seams button eyes shined for a second, his smile glowing. “Jevil was telling the truth… Looks like I owe him an apology.”

You stare hits the ground showing you the battlefield of spilled tea and shards of porcelain. “Sorry, about your tea set, Seam. And uhh…. your tea.” You awkwardly apologized, moving back onto the extravagant sofa so you wouldn't cut your feet on any of the shards.

Seam waved off your concerns. “When you live with Jevil, You are prepared for such accidents.” With a snap of his paws, the broken pieces of the porcelain dinnerware levitated up in the air.

Some of the shards began moving to the same places in the air, and they came together like puzzle pieces forming the shape of one of the teacups. The cracks of the teacup started magically disappearing. The teacup looked just as it did before you shattered it.

“That's useful.” Poured out of your mouth. The other teacup and the teapot formed themselves a new. Seam floated the platter up into the air and set the tea set on top of it. Within, the blink of an eye, the whole thing disappeared. The brown liquid puddles on the ground just seemed to evaporate in front of you. And with that, Seams lounge was good as new.

“I suppose I’ll go make another batch…Hope you don’t mind waiting again.” Seam stated, making his way back to the kitchen.

"No, it's fine." You mumbled, your face shoved into the delicate warm embrace of the couch. "It's my fault you have to remake it anyway." You lay back on the couch, staring at the ceiling above you.

Did you seriously just do that?

You let Seam see an expression on you that you vowed to never let anyone see ever again..

Why did you feel so... satisfied?

Why didn't you regret it?

...Were you...healing?

You can feel yourself smile for the third time that day.

Maybe, you finally were.

You softly chuckle, with a content feeling bubbling up in your soul.

You lazily glance over to the wall of the room. Your once happy face contorts to a look of fear. The funhouse mirror on the wall had a… distorted black silhouette in it. You freeze staring at the dark blob, you blink and the shade on the mirror disappears.

Did you just imagine that?

Even if you did, Your eyes narrow at the reflective surface.

You did not trust that mirror.


	3. Justified Anger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fed-up with everything, (Y/N) starts to feel the weight of there anger surge through them.

You sit there on the couch, staring at the funhouse mirror. You didn’t want to take your eyes off of it. What if the mysterious silhouette reappears? You didn't want to miss it if it did. It would confirm that you did see something inside of the mirror, instead of it just being your imagination.

But, now that you are glaring so intently at the reflective surface, there was something a little off about it. You throw yourself off of the comfortable sofa and move in front of the glass. The mirror shows off your tall lanky distortion, just like it did the first time. However, when you look at it closer…

The background looks perfect as if a normal mirror was reflecting the room.

Stepping away from the mirror, the background changes to be as slender and wobbly as it made you. How interesting. You step back into the mirror's vision and the background morphs back into looking crisp in the reflective surface.

You narrow your eyes, something was definitely wrong with this mirror.

“Are you enjoying your distorted image again, (Y/N)?” Pipes up Seam. Spinning to look at him you can see him entering the lounge with his redone tea. He places his silver tray back on the coffee table and begins using his magic to pour the tea into the teacups once again.

You gesture at the glass with one of your arms. “This isn’t just a mirror is it?” You speculated.

Seam grabbed one of the cups of liquid and moseyed on over to you, with a mischievous grin on. “ Oh, I wouldn't know…” He stirs his tea with a small spoon. “Maybe, you should try to get a little closer."

You throw your signature stone cold glare at the cat. “God, you Jokers and your little games.” Seam’s eyes glow for a second. “Wouldn't you know... the prophesied piercing eyes of (Y/N) have decided to make another appearance. Ha ha ha....” Seam takes a quick sip out of his teacup.

Rolling your eyes, at Seams antics. You move up closer to the mirror, your nose now about an inch away from it. You reach out your hand to tap the surface. Your eyes widen when you see your finger just pass through the glass. You quickly pull your finger back and you examine it. It didn't seem to be hurt or anything. Cautiously, you slowly move your face into the fake surface.

You were greeted with what looked like a standard-ish looking bedroom. Take a step inside the room to glance around. There were two king-sized beds in the center of the room. One was a modest shade of brown and looked a little old and torn up. The other was a striking shade of purple and almost completely brand new. To match the beds there were also two different dressers of the same colors. Along with that, there was a very nice black grandfather clock in the corner of the room, Causing a continuous ticking sound to be present in the space.

Seam suddenly materialized between the two mattresses, now holding both teacups in his paws. He holds one out to you. “Welcome to Jevil and I’s private quarters.” You take the sweet-scented drink from him and lifted the cup to your lips and took a quick sip of the hot surgery liquid.

“Oh, this is where you sleep.” You plainly stated. Moments later, your eyes contort with confusion. Is that all the mirror was? Just a hidden entry point into their bedroom? “Why did you guys do this?”

Seam takes a seat down on the brown bed and takes a drink of the brown solution in his cup. You think for a second about joining him by sitting on the other bed. But beds were a little more personal than couches.

The stitched-up dolls ears twitch slightly and he shrugs his shoulders. “Jevil thought it would be amusing to have our bedroom hidden away from the rest of the world. I didn't personally care so... Jevil created that little illusion ”

So, the mirror was just made of magic then? That certainly made it more feasible that the shadowy figure you saw wasn’t just your imagination. But, if it was real then...

You shake your head. You're probably just being overly paranoid… But, what if you weren’t? Whatever, it isn't like you could do anything about it…

Should you tell Seam about the mysterious silhouette you saw? No, you don't wanna give him anything else to worry about.

“Is something wrong (Y/N)?” Seam vocalized, his voice sounding slightly concerned. You glance around the room for a couple seconds, “Um… I was wondering... Why does the purple bed look so untouched?” You quickly lied, now staring at the orchid bed. You take a quick gulp of the tea, swallowing down your slight shame of directly lying to the kind old man. Omitting information was one thing. But directly lying was a different ball game.

Seam chuckles lightly.“That's Jevils bed. I had to get him a new one fairly recently… He wanted to use his old one as a prop in the last show we did. At the end of it... It was unsalvageable. Little more than stuffing and springs.” Scratching your arm, you finally move your gaze back to the cat. He seems to be finishing off the rest of his cup of tea, gulping at the last remnants of the delicious drink. He removes his face from the cup with a small peaceful smile. He definitely bought your lie hook, line, and sinker.

You look a great gulp of the now cooler than you’d like tea, your mind thinking back to yesterday. Didn’t Jevil say something about getting you a ticket to their show?

You curiously gaze at the purple doll, “Aren't another one of those shows happening tonight?” You ask, a little unsure if you remembered the date correctly.

Seams now empty cup disappears from his paws, and he rises from the bed. He looks into your eyes and tilts his head.“Yes... Were you planning on coming, tonight?” You sigh and scratch the back of your head with your free hand.

“I didn’t plan to. It’s just that…” You avert your gaze from Seams. “ Jevil told me I should come and he offered to get me tickets for it. But, I don't know if I should go or not…” You take the final sip of the now cold liquid in your cup. The tea no longer provided you the comfort it did when it was warm.

Seam takes a step closer to you and holds out his paw. “Let me get that for you.” You gently place the cup in Seams open palm and the cup magically disappears. You stare Seam in his inventive yellow eyes. “What do you think, Seam?” The cat’s eyes soften at you.

“I cannot make that decision for you, (Y/N)...” Seam opened his mouth to say more. But a chiming sound from the grandfather clock in the corner of the room stopped him. He glanced back at the old clock his ears standing straight up.

“Oh, it's Twelve already…” Seam’s gaze falls back to you. “I'm afraid that are time together has come to an end... My talents are required at the theater. Come, I’ll lead you to the door.” Seam gestures over to the fake mirror, telling you to enter back to the lounge. Your eyes cast down words, you felt saddened that your meeting had to come to a close.

You exit the false glass exterior and follow Seam over to his front door. He opens the door, and holds it wide for you to exit. Before you leave, you glance over at Seam, tapping your foot against the ground. Swallowing your pride, you begin speaking. “I had… a lovely time, Seam.” You slowly walk through the open doorway.. “...Thank you.”’

One of Seams ears twitch and he beams at you.” Perhaps - You could return tomorrow. Ever since Jevil stopped arriving at our morning tea sessions… I have been longing to find another to share with.” You shift your eyes away from Seam. “I’d like that.”

Seam gently closes the door and jiggles the knob. A click sound rings from the door, telling you the door was now locked. Seam smiles at you. “Well if you do appear... Just knock on my door and I’ll let you inside.” The cat begins waving at you. “For now though, it is goodbye...” The old man disappears in the air in front of you, leaving nothing behind. You sigh, at the empty spot Seam once filled.

Who knew that you had a soft spot for kind old men? You surely didn't.

You start slowly trekking your way back to your room. Rudinn was most likely already done going through the lost and found. And, you guessed that he would be waiting for you in there.

But, you couldn't get rid of a certain nagging feeling in your gut. Like you were forgetting something...

Treading down the stairs, You suddenly throw the palm of your hand smack dab the middle of your face.

You forgot to ask Seam about your bookbag…

You curse under your breath at yourself. You're such an idiot...

You step off at the fourth floor, grateful that you and Seam’s rooms weren't that far away from each other. Coming up to your room door, you knock on the black surface and wait for Rudinn to respond. After a couple of seconds of waiting, you grab the doorknob and twist. To your surprise, the door opens.

Did you and Rudinn forget to lock the door this morning?

You enter your room. And see that Rudinn is nowhere in sight. He must be at the lost and found still. Instead, you see…

...A letter?

Perched on your nightstand was a white envelope. You cautiously come closer to it and pick it up in your hands. You read out the front of the envelope. “To my guard… (Y/N)?” Cold sweat drips down your face. Who wrote this? And how did they know that you slept here?

You turn the envelope to the front and rip the flap open. You take out a folded piece of paper from the inside. Tossing the opened shell on the ground, You sit down on your bed and open the ominous paper.

A handwritten letter greets your features. You take a deep breath and begin the read:

MY DEAR, (Y/N)

BOO HOO HOO! REGRETFUL, REGRETFUL I BE! I SHOULD BE LINED UP FOR THE GALLOWS FOR THE SORROW I WREAKED YOU.

OH, BUT WHAT'S THIS? SOMETHING A LITTLE INTERESTING. YOU LEFT A LITTLE, LITTLE SOMETHING LAST NIGHT WITH ME.

JUST GIVING IT BACK IS SO UN-SO OF ME. INSTEAD, I’LL PLAY, PLAY ANOTHER GAME WITH YOU!

A TICKET, TICKET CAME WITH THIS NOTE. THE TICKET, TICKET TO MY SHOW.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE AND WATCH ME PERFORM, WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE CURTAINS FINALLY CLOSE! FOLLOW ME BACKSTAGE, BACKSTAGE! 

ONLY THEN YOUR LOST BAG WILL BE RETURNED! SAFE AND SOUND!

YOU CANNOT REFUSE! YOU’RE ALREADY PLAYING THE GAME!

SO EXCITED, EXCITED I AM, FOR YOU TO SEE MY SHOW!

I DEDICATED THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY TO YOU!

CHAOS CHAOS,

JEVIL

You could feel your soul stop in your chest, Your breathing becoming ragged.

Jevil knew where you lived.

Even worse than that he went into your room and placed this letter on your bedside. You fall back on your bed, shoving your face into your hands.

How the hell does Jevil know that?

Was… Was he…

Stalking you?

You hug your legs to your torso and envelope yourself in your arms, one arm still holding onto the paper. And you try to control your rapid breathing.

In. out.

In. out.

In. out.

Jevil could have asked one of the other guard where you live. Rudinn is friends with a lot of the other guards here so they might have known you were his partner and pointed him in the right direction.

Yes, that sounds plausible...

And he could have just guessed that this bed was yours! You have a Rudinn partner, that sleeps on a pile of gemstones! It would have been easy for him to guess right?

It's okay. It's okay.

You're okay….

You slowly exit the little ball you formed into, and sit up on the bed, trembling still.

You cannot refuse!

That small sentence from the letter shock around your mind. What did he mean by it? Did he mean that he knew that you would come? Or did he mean that he would make you come?

You look down at the note and narrow your eyes, your fear making way for rage. Either way, this letter was practically blackmailing you. He was keeping your book bag hostage so you would go to his little show.

You close your fist on top of the paper, crumpling the Jesters admitting decent handwriting. You no longer felt afraid of the what, how or why… You only felt pure unadulterated rage.

How dare he?! How dare he think it was appropriate to this letter in your room?!

How dare he blackmail you into going to his show?!

How dare he make you feel so terrified of him?!

How dare he write about you like you were both ‘friends’ or something?! ‘My’ guard, huh? What a crock of shit…

You squish the note in both of your hands and start ripping it into little pieces. The shredded pieces littered the ground with white shards. You knew that you would have to clean that up later. But right now…

You didn’t care.

The letter was no more now. In its place were the small white pieces of paper scattered on the floor. You thought that you would feel better after destroying the note but…

Why did you feel so guilty?

Amongst the fragments on the ground, the envelope the once letter arrived in, laid. You pick it up and peek inside of it. A long rectangular shimmering piece of golden paper rests at the bottom. Reaching in you grab the paper and pull it out. You place the emptied envelope to your side and gaze at the shiny glossy paper.

V.I.P Ticket Five was proudly displayed on the front of its gleaming body. You roll your eyes. Of course, Jevil would get you a V.I.P ticket. Looking at the fine print on the ticket had the time five o’clock written on it. At least you knew when the show starts now.

You rest the ticket down on your nightstand and grab the envelope. Kneeling down on the ground, You shove all of the tiny bits of the letter inside of it. You move over to your room’s garbage bin and toss it inside. You stomp over to your bed and flop down on top of it.

You rub the top of your head in order to try to quell your steadily growing headache. You were so exhausted. Why does Jevil always seem to suck the life out of you?

The sound of someone wiggling and shaking the doorknob sounds throughout the air. You grumble and lift your head from the mattress. Glancing over at the door, you can see the door open with and a slightly-surprised but still calm looking Rudinn was standing outside of it holding his key to the front door out.

“Oh… It was already opened.” Spilled out of his mouth. He holds his hood slightly agape and slides the key inside of it.

You sit back up and hold your head up with your hand. “Hello.” Rudinn smiles widely at you. “Oh, there you are!” The Rudinn’s warm face twisted into a look of confusion as he closes the door behind him. “Did Seam hang out with you awhile or something? I was kinda expecting you to like, show up at the lost and found sooner or later.”

You stand up straighter and start rubbing the back of your neck with your hand. “Well, I only just got here. Were you searching at the lost and found for this entire time?” You asked, feeling a little ashamed that you weren't there to help him.

The Rudinn blushes slightly and looks into your eyes. “Actually, I didn’t really look that hard…” He grabs the front of his hood and pulls it away from himself. “I haven’t told you this yet but, I have like a totally mad crush on this one Head Hathy.” His eyes dash away from yours and land on the floor.

“They were there at the lost and found to turn in something and... like I decided that I might as well talk to them. Long story short, We’re now going on a rad date tonight.” His blush subsides and he glances back at you, his chill smile looking a little downtrodden. “Sorry about the whole, not actually looking thing.”

You shrug your shoulders. “Meh. Whatever, It’s fine.” Your eyes fill with a glint of curiosity. “When is your date anyways?”

Rudinn’s half-lidded eyes open faintly. “Oh, yeah…” He slithers over to his dresser and opens up one of the top drawers. He pulls out a plaid blue bow-tie. He quickly stabs the safety pin on the back of the bow, into the front neck area of his hood. He lets go of the bow-tie, it now securely fastened to his hood. He faces you and gestures at his bow-tie. ‘What do you think?”

You nod your head and give the serpent a thumbs-up. “You still haven’t answered my question yet.”

Rudinn’s chill smile deepens. “It's at about two o’clock.” You glance over at the silent clock fastened on the wall.

“Rudinn, it's two thirty right now.” You move your eyes back over to the snake. “You’re late.”

You can see a single drop of sweat pour down the Rudinn’s face and his mellow eyes have a touch of panic. He sprints faster than anyone you have ever seen before directly into the closed door. The force of his hit causes him to burst through the door, leaving a perfectly shaped Rudinn hole in the door. Without even acknowledging the damage he has done to your shared door, he runs away. You stare deadpan at the gaping hole in the door. You blink at it and turn your eyes away from the devastation.

Nope, you ain't dealing with that right now. You have too many other things on your mind.

You grab the golden ticket on your nightstand, your eyes narrowing at its tacky coloring.

You were going to go to this show…

You crumple the ticket somewhat in your hands.

You had a couple of choice questions for that clown.


	4. Before the Curtains Rise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The show is about to start but (Y/N) gets visited by the star performer before the curtains rise.

The solitary scratching of a pen echoes around the room. The pen was dancing around the pages weaving an intricate picture with the power of your words. You click in your writing utensil, wiping the sweat off of your forehead. You read over your writing one last time. Perfect. Just what you wanted. You glance up at the silent clock on the wall. Three-forty was displayed on the hands of the clock.

The show was supposed to be at five o’clock. Scratching your chin, you ponder over if you should try to arrive early to that fools show. If you get there ahead of time, you might be able to take your seat before the inevitable crowd forms. You did have a VIP ticket. Maybe, that's one of its perks? Eh. Whatever you should at least try.

Closing your journal, You open up your nightstand drawer and place both the book and pen inside of it. Grabbing the golden ticket on top of the nightstand, you shamble out of your bed.

You take a glance at the ticket just to make sure you had the right time. Yep, it still says five o'clock. You steadily make your way to the damaged door and slam it behind you. You remove your hand from the door, staring at its new wounds. What an awful hole... You trace your fingers over the splintered wood, feeling the sharpness of its chipped edges. You look around the hole inspecting it. Man, if any smaller darkner wanted to they could slip into our room through that…

The corners of your mouth move downward. If you left your journal here, you would worry about someone stealing it. Sighing, You quickly enter back into your room, and grab your personal writing book and pen again, deciding that they would be much safer with you. You slip your ticket in between the pages of the book and slide the pen onto the leather covering of the book, making it much easier to carry.

Once again closing the door behind you, you take a step away from the door. You pause for a second, your eyebrows furrowed. Where was the theater again? You search your brain trying to think of the answer. Within a moment, you could feel a metaphorical light bulb illuminate over your head.

Oh, yeah, it's on the first floor, isn't it? In the hallway opposite of the cafeteria? Yes, that sounds right. Out of the things Rudinn had shown you on your first day here, the location of the theater was thankfully one of them. You sigh of relief, If you didn't know where the theater was you would have had to look all over the castle for it. It was rather nice to actually know something for a change. With a good idea of where you're going, you start your long walk to the first floor.

Strangely enough, the hallways were practically empty. Throughout your entire trip down there was not a darkner in sight. While it was nice to not have to actively avoid acknowledging any other darkner in the hallway, it also made you a little anxious. Is everyone already in line for the show? Or was there something else going on that you didn't know about?

When you reach the first floor your suspicions turn out to be sadly true. There already was a giant crowd of darkners lined up at the doors. You swear that every darkner you had ever seen at this castle was in that line. Clover was talking amongst herselves at the front of the line. You couldn't hear what hers was saying. But you could see that two of the faces looked rather agitated at each other and hers last head looked disheartened. They must be fighting amongst themselves, again. There was the group of Hathys in the middle, that you recall always playing poker during breakfast and dinner. You hope you never have to speak to them… They seem a little creepy...Then in the back of the line, was your destructive Rudinn partner.

Rudinn was holding onto a Head Hathy’s tentacle and was happily chatting to them. The Head Hathy had their head turned away and was blushing heavily. Your eyes softened a little bit when you looked at them. They seem to be having a good time on their date. Good for Rudinn

Despite, the cuteness of Rudinns date, you frowned deeply and narrowed your eyes at the crowd. You shudder thinking about standing in that line. The absolute suffocation you'd feel being surrounded by so many other darkners. It would be so easy for a darkner to accidentally hit you with their arm or something as well… Nope, you can’t handle that. Looking closer at the scene it appears that the doors are open in the front. And the theater staff are already letting darkners inside. Your eyes widen, the show starts in about two hours! And they are already letting darkners sit down.

God, just your luck isn't it! Of course, nothing ever goes like how you wanted it. Even better, glancing at the crowd you can see that none of them have VIP tickets. What are you supposed to do to get inside? Were you supposed to just get in the normal line or are you supposed to come back later to be seated? The possibilities were endless and infuriating.

You slap your head against the guard rail of the stairs. Your cranium caused the poor unsuspecting metal rail to crumple like a candy wrapper. You glare at the no longer usable railing, were you getting weaker? This wreckage wasn't up to your usual standards of strength...

You know what screw it! You’re going back to your room. You'll come back out here when the show starts in like thirty minutes. Maybe then, the line will clear out. And you would finally feel comfortable with asking one of the theater staff your questions. You stomp back up the stairs.

Your trek back to your room had a much different tone then your trip down to the theater. The air felt incredibly thick. So thick that you could cut it with a knife. It was unbearably quiet, you could hear your very soul beating inside of you. As you climb up your third set of stairs, you can feel a knot grow in your stomach.

Something wasn't right.

It was cold and unwelcoming like you were walking into a predators domain as its primary prey. You felt like you were the first darkner shown in a horror movie. You know the one that always dies! Perhaps, you actually miss seeing the other darkners in the hallways.

A breathy whisper sounds from right behind you, freezing you in place.

You nervously glance down at the steps below you, praying that Rudinn and Seam would mourn for you if you were killed. The only thing there was the dead, cold air that surrounds you. You should go back down to the theater. At least there if you die there will be witnesses.

A puff of hot air brushes itself across your neck, then another, then another, then another...

Your soul was beating faster than it ever had before, your eyes widen as large as dinner plates.

Someone was breathing on your neck.

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE!

Dropping your book, You immediately plunge down the stairs, angling yourself so that you hit the third floor instead of the stairs. You fell onto the castle floor on your stomach, completely undamaged from your fall. Of course, it wasn't like a drop that small would be able to lower your hp You glance over your shoulder to see who the hell was going to eat your goddamn knuckles. But when you looked up there was no darkner there.

Your angry, terrified face got switched out for a look of befuddlement. Did that really happen? Or did you just imagine that? Your eyes narrow.

No, you remember being in a situation similar to this before. You couldn't quite put your finger on it, What was reminding you so strongly-

Like a bolt of lightning, the answer finally comes to you.

Oh.

You clench your hands into a fist. That son of a…

“BWA HA HA! YOU’RE SO MUCH FUN, FUN!” That annoying jester's voice sang out from in front of you. Turning your head from the staircase, your eyes were met with the fools own yellow pinprick eyes, boring into you. Your entire body jerks back, away from the closer-then-you'll-ever-like clown. Jevil uproars in laughter. He starts floating the air and flipping around. He rubs his glove against his eye to wipe away one of his quickly growing tears.

“Jevil!!” You screech out, launching yourself off of the ground.

You stand with your knees slightly bent and fists painfully clenched. You were so ready to knock this purple freaks lights out. Make him pay for all of the trauma you had gone through because of him. Taking a deep breath, you force your hands to relax.

No… Despite, how much you want to tear his soul apart piece by piece. No matter how much you want to scream at him for answers for all of the sketchy shit he's doing. You can't do it. At Least you can't while he still has your book bag in his possession.

Instead you glare at him with the fury of a thousand raging pawns. As soon as you get your book bag…

Your, eyes ignite with a fiery rage.

You will not show him any mercy.

“UEE HEE HEE! I'M SORRY, SORRY, MY GUARD! I JUST COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!” He rotates upside down in the air, giggling. “TOO EXCITED, EXCITED!” His already monstrously large smile got even bigger.

You grimace at his use of ‘my guard’ and growled menacingly at him.“This meeting wasn’t apart of our deal, Jevil!” You crossed your arms together in an attempt to shield your hands from him.

“WHAT CAN I SAY? I’M FULL, FULL OF SURPRISES!” He cups his face with one of his hands. “YOU ARE AS WELL, (Y/N)!” He sticks his tongue out and winks at you.

You roll your eyes. You “full of surprises?” Really? “Why are you here, Jevil?” You tried to state calmly, to conceal your growing rage.

He gently floats slightly closer to you. But not enough to set you off. Jevil claps his hands together and beams at you like a child that had gotten exactly what they wanted for Christmas. “I KNEW YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE, ABLE TO RESIST PLAYING WITH ME. BUT I DIDN’T ANTICIPATE YOUR ARRIVAL BEING THIS EARLY, EARLY.” He drifts closer to you, wrapping his arms around himself like an intimate embrace.

You try to step back from the approaching purple devil, but the heel of your foot ends up hitting the black castle wall behind you. You peek in disbelief at the wall behind you, you could have sworn that you had more space behind you than that. Fortunately, enough for you the entertainer stopped before he traveled into your personal bubble.

Jevil laughs and starts twirling in place, still cuddling himself with his arms.“HE HE HE. SO HAPPY, HAPPY, YOU MADE ME! EVEN THE DEVILSKNIFE WAS SMILING!”

Ceasing his whirling, he stares into your eyes with that same joyful look he has always worn.“BUT WITHIN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, YOU ABANDONED ME!” He places one of his hands over his mouth and giggles. “UEE HEE HEE. HOW INTRIGUING! INFORM ME WHY.”

You look at him, confusion growing on your face. What is a Devils knife? And why can it smile? You brush aside your confusion and you glare at the jester again.He didn't ask you why you left. No, he commanded you to answer him. He had the nerve to command you to answer him like you were his servant or something!

Just one more thing to add to your list of questions about Jevil... 

“I’m not going to tell you. Now if you’ll excuse me-” You scoffed at the sense of entitlement the fool had. And you tried to move past the Jester so you wouldn’t be practically cornered by him.

The jester magically materialized directly in the way of where you were walking.“HOW BORING, MY GUARD!” He jests at you, his tail swaying to-and-from.

By instinct, you take a step away from the fools close form. Boring huh? You're boring for not wanting to answer this jerk's questions?! You know that this wasn't the best idea considering the position that you are in with the clown. But you could only take so much before you were done. You stomp your foot and snarl at him.

“What is wrong with you? Can’t you just accept that I don't want to speak with you?” You attempt to maneuver around him, again. But just like before he appears in front of you.

He holds one finger up and wags it back and forth. “DON’T BE A STRANGER, (Y/N).” He scolds, like a teacher reprimanding some kid he found misbehaving in class. "OR, DO YOU NOT DESIRE TO HAVE THESE BACK.” He floats away from you. Then, He holds both of his hands out away from him. Spontaneously, both your book bag and leather bond personal writing journal manifest individually on one of the hands.

You mutter profanities under your breath at yourself for dropping your journal. But, you can't blame yourself too badly. It was just a natural reflex to drop something when petrified. A natural reflex that Jevil exploited. You shoot a glare at Jevil’s happy face that could cut through steel. “ Did you scare me just so that you could take that from me?”

Jevil snickers and the bookbag disappears from the jesters grasp. He gazes at the journal and places it on his chest. Using his arms to cage the book, he snuggles it against his body. “MAYBE…” He playfully looks back to you and smirks.

It was a disturbing sight, to say the least. Seeing him caress your journal in such a loving matter made you feel like you were going to throw up. You rub your temples with your hands in frustration. You don’t have a choice, do you? Its either tell him the stupid reason that you left or…

Let him continue doing that to your journal.

He already knows how uncomfortable you are when other darkners are close to you. There's no point in lying to him. Although, you were not fine with telling him that you had no idea how you were supposed to get inside with the VIP ticket. It makes you sound like an idiot. He would most certainly make fun of you for that.

You shrug your shoulders and throw your hands up in defeat.”All right, Jevil. Fine. You win.” You announced to the all too happy to hear entertainer. His wide smile grew even larger and his yellow eyes twinkled. “OH?” He stopped snuggling the book now he was merely cradling it in his arms.

You crossed your arms across your chest once again. You met his shining eyes with your own stone cold gaze.

“Since you gave me a VIP ticket.” You mutter “For some reason.” under your breath before continuing. “I thought that if I came to your show early, That I might be able to take my seat before a large swarm of darkners show up.”

You hold out your arm and point at Jevil accusingly, narrowing your eyes. “You out of any other darkner here should know how important my personal space is to me.” You retract your arm and cup your face with your hand, your gaze falling to your feet. “My plan didn't work so I left. It's that simple.”

When you try to look back up at the clown, your site is bestowed with your journal inches away from your face instead. Jevil is holding it out in front of you and is smiling cheerfully at you. You gaze worryingly at the jester's hand clenching the book, your mouth becoming a bit dry. Jevil, wouldn't just let you have your journal back would he? There had to be something concocting in that demented mind of his. You could feel it in your soul.

“HA HA HA. COME ON, MY GUARD. I DON'T BITE, BITE!” He sang, shaking the journal as if he was trying to tease you with it.

The frown on your face deepens. If he was going to do anything it's not like you could do anything to stop it. Gritting your teeth, Your hand darts to clutch the book. You tense up waiting for him to stroke your hand or touch you in some other way.

The book grows heavier in your grip as Jevil removes his hand. You raise an eyebrow at the Joker, your mouth open searching for something to say.

Jevil snickers, backing himself up. “BWA HA HA! YOU THINK THAT LOW, LOW OF ME?”

He holds his hands up to the air and flips himself upside down, his arms now holding up his tiny body.”I WOULDN'T DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE YOU WEEP KNOWINGLY. THAT'S NO FUN, FUN!” 

You roll your eyes at his words, there is not a chance in hell that you are going to believe that. Jevil bends his arms and launches high up into the air performing a somersault.

Running on your own instincts, you deliberately take some huge steps away from the Jokers falling body. He lands perfectly on the ground, exactly where he was before, and starts pirouetting on one of his feet. “YOU COMING TO MY SHOW WILL BE LOTS OF FUN, FUN, MY GUARD. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO PERFORM UNLESS YOU, YOU ARE THERE.” 

You can feel bile rising up in your throat at his sickly sweet statement. Everything he says about you just brings up even more questions about his intentions. Keeping your eyes on the spinning fool, you see that a flash of gold shine from his hands. You narrow your eyes, in contemplation.

Was that… Your ticket?

You hadn't even noticed that it was missing. You supposed you had been rather occupied with… him.

Out of nowhere, the clown does a twirling leap into the air. With all of the elegance and grace of an Olympic diver he lands right in front of you, kneeling on one of his legs, making him even shorter then he was before. His hand holding up the ticket, presenting it to you. The golden shine of the paper looked eerily similar to Jevils currently overjoyed eyes. While you looked into his eyes you couldn't help but feel there was another emotion in them you couldn't recognize. With his strange gaze on your face and his delighted smile, and the current position he was in….

It almost kind of looked like... he was proposing to you?

“WHY DON'T I MAKE YOU APPEAR INSIDE OF THE THEATER WITH MY MAGIC, MAGIC?” He shouts out, boring into your eyes with such emotional intensity that it burned your retinas. “YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PRESENCE OF OTHER DARKNERS!”

You quickly remove your gaze from his stare, You couldn't handle seeing that anymore.“Why do you have my ticket, Jevil? Weren't you supposed to give that back to me with the journal.” You say, in a stern tone.

Jevil materializes in front of your shifted gaze, keeping the exact same position. “OH? SO YOU COULD GRAB IT WHEN WE TELEPORT. YOU EITHER HAVE TO HOLD ON TO THE TICKET. OR YOU HAVE TO HOLD ON TO ME.” Jevils tail sways gently back and forth behind him.

Your eyes narrow at the jester. “Why do I need to do either of that? I have seen you use your teleporting magic on items that never even came close to you!” You recall that he did wash those dishes and make them disappear during your first meeting, without so much as poking any of them.

Jevil’s eyes twinkle for a second, before going back to their strange shining yellow hue. “YOU HAVE A SOUL. I NEED TO BE CONNECTED PHYSICALLY TO TELEPORT SOMEONE WITH A SOUL.”

Unnerving was the perfect word to describe what you are feeling right now. Jevil stayed still in his strange little position, this is the longest you had ever seen Jevil stay in one spot. The feeling of the fools intrusive eyes staring into yours was giving you a headache. This is way too much...

“Whatever.” You state as nonchalantly as you possibly could. Screw it! You just wanna get away from the horrifying look in his eyes. Jevil moves the ticket in his hand so that the end of the ticket has enough space for you to grab without even grazing his. Hesitantly, you grip the corner of the ticket, keeping your eyes glued onto his hand. The moment your skin touched the shimmering paper, you could hear that same heavy breathing from before... “CLOSE YOUR EYES, MY GUARD! YOU SHALL BE DEPARTING ON AIRPORT JEVIL, IN 3..”

You grit your teeth. There is no way in hell you were closing your eyes around Jevil.

“2…” Tightening your grip on your journal, Your body tenses up in preparation.

“1!”

The floor fell beneath you and Jevil. And an explosion of bright vibrant flashing colors erupts across the world. Millions of different shades and hues flicker all around you in a seizure-inducing pattern.

You could feel tears running down your face from the strain the rainbow mess was putting on your eyes. Glancing around this disco hellscape, you can see Jevil standing up looking at you from beyond your ticket. He had the smuggest “I told you so.” look on his face.

That motherf-.

Your feet hit solid ground and you immediately fall down to the ground on your back. The entire world was spinning around you creating strange looking monstrosities in your vision. God, you feel like you just got smashed with a hammer.

Suddenly a purple looking spider-like creature came into your vision, floating above you. nIt was holding its stomach with four of its arms and cackling wildly at you.

Was that… Jevil?

Finally, the world stabilized and you could see properly again. Jevil was indeed above you, howling at your misfortunes. You clench the book and the ticket in both of your hands. You scowl at the entertainer. He doesn't even ask if he could help you or anything... No. He just laughs his little heart out.

You quickly slide the ticket into the cover of your journal for safekeeping putting on the same side as your pen, that is still somehow there. You roll over and start picking yourself off of the floor, dusting off any of the dirt or grime that had been on the floor.

Glancing around the room you can see that it is very dark, with three sources of light coming from a room beyond this one. Gazing into the closest light source in front of you, you can see a… Balcony that's hanging off into the theater.

You step out, into the lighting of the balcony and see two spread apart comfy looking seats. Was one of those your seat? You move in front of the chair and see an etched in 5 written across the left ones top black frame. Moving in closer to the chair, you lovingly stroke its black softness. A look of content wraps around your face. Oh, we are going to get along just fine...

Raising your eyes from the plump seat, your heart nearly stops when you see Jevils face peeking at you from the right side of the chair. He had his head nuzzled into one of his hands And stared at you with half-lidded eyes. A pure wave of fear went up your body and you scotched away from his scary expression.

Jevil giggles much more softly then you had ever heard him speak. “ HE. HE. HE. MY GUARD, THERE'S STILL AN HOUR LEFT UNTIL MY SHOW, SHOW STARTS.” You could sense your face going pale at the thought of him spending another hour with you.

Jevil stands back up, looks at the ceiling and places his hand on his forehead dramatically.”BUT, AS MUCH AS I LOATHE TO LEAVE, LEAVE YOU, I MUST PREPARE FOR MY ACT.” He glances back at you and grins even wider. ”BEFORE I DEPART, (Y/N). I HAVE A SMALL GIFT TO BESTOW UPON YOU.” He raises his hand and snaps his fingers. In the lap of your seat, a large soda and gigantic bag of popcorn pop into existence. You look dumbfounded at the snack foods Jevil has given you. 

Jevil twirls around to face you and he tilts his head. “UEE HEE HEE! I HOPE YOU ENJOY MY SHOW, MY GUARD! I CAN'T, CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TO SEE ME ON STAGE.” His excited gaze bores into your head like a parasite, looking into his eyes, it such emotional deeps that you can't even hope to comprehend. Jevil sticks out his tongue and winks at you before disappearing.

You lift up your body up from the balcony ground and are greeted with a massive amount of darkeners below you. You could hardly even make out which darkner was which from this massive height. You turn your head away from the mob of darkners below you, worried that one of them might see you up here. The last thing you'd want is someone spreading rumors about how you got the ticket…

Glancing over to the side, you can see that there are two other balcony areas. All are at the same level as you. But the middle one has a giant solitary seat placed on it. You raise your eyebrow at that. The other balcony seems to be the exact same as the one you are currently residing in. You turn your eyes away from the other balconies and focus your attention on your own luxurious chair.

Moving over to your seat, you place the popcorn and the soda on the floor beside the furniture. You weren't overly enthusiastic about eating something that came from him.

Resting yourself down in the chair, you can feel its cushions embrace you with a comfy cuddle. While not as good as Seams couch, the chair did its job nicely. Leaning back in the chair, you hold your leather bound in front of you. You gently grab the pen from the outside and open the book. Your soul freezes in place. Befuddlement consumes your emotions, you can feel sweat starting to form on your forehead.

These aren't the pages of your journal.

These are the pages from your history book.

You flip the book to the cover, hoping to see the normal cover of the book. No, outside is still your leather writing journal. Jevil must have used his magic to switch the contents of it or something. Your soul stops in your chest, as the color of your body turns a pale white.

Jevil has your personal writing journal.

And he's alone with it for an hour.

Your breathing becomes heavier, and your soul pumps out of control.

You desperately fling open the pages of the once-writing-journal searching for something…. For ANYTHING. That vaguely resembles your pen strokes.

Not a sight like that could be found... But what was there was... You didn't understand.

Multiple of the Card Castle book's pages had the words on them scribbled out with black pen ink. Your breath got stuck in your throat. What? Why? There has to be a reason why these pages are edited. Looking at the front of the book you scanned through the first pages to see if any of them got the scribble treatment.

Your eyes widen even more than you thought was possible, every picture of a darkner printed out on the pages of this book... had viciously harsh black pen strokes cutting through their bodies. Their eyes were completely covered in the black ink.

You tried to swallow the dryness in your mouth and continued on throughout the book. Your eyes darted across the page like a ping pong ball, trying to find some sort of reason…

Jevil must have done this. What in Gods name is wrong with him?

You finally came across a censored out page of the book. You tap your pen on your chin scrambling in your brain to remember what this passage was about. You bite the end of the pen.

This section was about the four kings.

You came across another blacked out page. This page used to be about the gardeners of the castle.

Another one arrived. This one was about Hathys and Rudinns.

A drop of sweat dribbles down your chin and onto the inked out page in front of you.

You understood what the pattern was now.

Any page that was about a specific type or individual darkner, was crossed out.

But there was one exception to that rule.

Near the end of the book, you found one page that was dedicated to a two darkner that was pristine, it was untouched by the jester's wrathful ink strokes. 

The page about the Jokers of the castle. 

The picture on the page was an image of Jevil and Seam. Seam was clearly trying to take a serious photo. But his fellow joker most certainly was not. 

Jevil’s left hand hooked his fingers into the left side of his mouth and was stretching it open, showing off his large pointy teeth. His tongue was sticking out at the camera and his eyes were looking in two entirely different directions. To top it all off, Jevil had his other hand behind Seam, forming little bunny ears.

They both looked so… Different…

Not so much physically. Although Seam did look much less tattered then he was now... That wasn’t your focus.

Seam had a content happy smile that reached his button eyes. He looks like he might have been giggling at Jevil when this picture was taken. A far cry from the much more lonely old man that you saw earlier today.

And Jevil…

He looked like he had a genuine smile on his face. Whenever Jevil smiled at you, you felt like there was something he was hiding from you. It didn't feel like it was just a friendly smile. But in this photo, there was no such thing. He looked like he was just a happy camper, goofing off with his friend.

You breathe deeply in, releasing the tension you had been feeling throughout your body.

Underneath the picture, there was a caption. “Jevil (Left) and Seam (Right): Best Joker Friends Forever."

You blink at the caption, realizing that Jevil did not leave this page entirely uninked. Right after the written caption, Jevil had drawn a sad looking face.

You gaze at the picture mournfully and gently rub your finger over Seams slightly-younger self.

You felt so sorry for the old cat. He used to have such a strong friendship with Jevil, and from what Jevil drew he must feel a twinge of sorrow as well.

Unless… Your eyes darken heavily.

He deliberately put this in here to make you feel pity for him.

You grab the page harshly, ready to crumple up the jesters lie, but you stop yourself. A dull glimmer of hope still rests inside your soul. You wanted it to be true.

You wanted to see Seam smile like that.

Your finger traces the grin of the picture of the stuffed up doll.

You wanted him to be happy again.

You tenderly take the page and place it back in the leather bindings of the book.

Seam deserves to know what's happening. Not just apart of the truth, you need to tell him anything. He's Jevils best friend... He's known Jevil for God knows how long. Tomorrow. You're going to tell him tomorrow when you visit him for some tea. You promise that you will.

A faint creaking sound comes from far behind you. The sound of slithering and stomping against the floor piques your interest. Huh… That must be the other VIP darkners. Finally, took them a while to get here. You stretch out your arms in front of you and fold them over the top of the chair. You want to look casual and unassuming for whoever is your balcony buddy. It's not like their going to try to talk to you while your both watching a show.

Gradually, the sounds of movement from the back die down. But no one has taken up the fourth seat yet. What? Were they late or something? Well whatever, having a private balcony to yourself was a rather luxurious though. However, the identity of the other VIP holders did interest you.

You glance over to the other balconies. That tenseness you had a mere five minutes ago came back like a slap to the face. Looking at the middle of the balcony, you can see the Kings of Clubs sitting there snug as a bug in that giant seat. The King of Clubs heads looked pretty excited for the upcoming show. One had a soda hat on that he was drinking out of with a straw. And one was completely painted to look like Jevil’s face. But the rest of hisselves 9 heads were not doing anything particularly noteworthy, they just looked rather pleased to be here right now.

Your sight moves away from the jolly King, a clear look of panic on your face. If the King of Clubs was sitting here… You swallow nervously. Does that mean the other Kings are going to sit here? 

You glance back at the King of Clubs and wish you could see the other balcony to see who was sitting there. But, the king of Clubs’s body was covering up any trace of a balcony existing there at all.

You look down at your lap your hands clutching onto one another. You've only ever really met the King of Diamonds. He was the one that hired you as a guard after all. You were anxious at the thought of meeting another one of the kings.

Your hands tightened their grips on each other.

Hopefully, you will just have the King of Diamonds in the seat next to you. He could be pretty chill as long as you don't mention anything about gems to him… You remove your hands from each other and cross your fingers in hope that the King of Diamonds ticket is number four.

The door slams behind you. Mountain-shaking steps made their way to your balcony. With every step it was like an earthquake, you had to hold on tight to the arms of the seat to stop you from falling off. You face falls, The King of Diamonds didn't have any feet that could make that sound or shake the ground like that... Nor did the King of Hearts now that you think about it...

Oh, God no! You can feel your face twist into a look of despair. The only king that was left was…

The King of Spades emerges from the shadows of the room behind you into the yellow lighting of the theater. He looked just as threatening and evil as Rudinn said he would. His face was truly one of the only ones you had ever seen that could truly rival your stone cold glare. His sharp teeth and shadowed eyes could strike fear into the souls of any darkner that dared to get in his way. The pure fury that was radiating off of him, could make any darkner cry in an instant.

...And he was going to be sitting next to you for the rest of Jevils show. This is the end of the road, might as well figure out what you want your dust sprinkled on.

Well, looking on the bright side, at least if you do perish, You wouldn't have to see Jevil again.

His massive hulking body came up to the fourth seat and sat down. You attempted to shove yourself into the seat as far as you could possibly go, hoping that just maybe, he would not see you sitting there. The King’s unimpressed, and irritated gaze was trained onto the crowd, his hand resting in the palm of his big strong hands.

God, he could crush your head in like a grape with that hand. Seeing that disturbing art project of Jevil's certainly didn't help your nervous, terrified mood. He lazily rolled his head to look at you. You could feel your soul turn to dust in your chest.

“You’re that new guard Diamond hired aren't you…?” He concluded you swear you could feel his eyes looking up and down your body judging you cruelly.

Ok, (Y/N). Let's just play it cool. He seems like the type that wouldn't want you to be groveling at his feet begging for mercy after he glanced at me. Despite how much his presence makes you want to.

Trying to keep a somewhat decent composer you rip yourself out of the back of the chair and fold your arms across your chest. You nod at the king giving a quick. “Correct.” to his question.

He stares at you studying your entire physique like you were some type of rare exotic animal. A finger from his hand tapped his chin. His intimidating smile shifts down to a frown. “Diamond, you keep picking weaker and weaker underlings…” He states as a mere fact and turns his head away from you towards the stage.

You couldn't help. But feel a little bit insulted that he called you a weakling. However, you were much more happy that he stopped looking at you like that. You felt… a little violated by that. Of course, his stare doesn't come close to Jevil’s. You can feel yourself shuddering just thinking about that mysterious look you saw in that fool's eyes.

Suddenly, the lights go out, embracing the world around you in darkness. Two spotlights turn on and circle around the closed curtains. An eruption of applause and whistling comes from the audience below you.

It was time for the show to start.


	5. Little Things Give You Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some masks are easy to see through, and you did not like the truth that was staring straight back at you.

The movement of the curtains sunk your soul deep into your chest, ruining any positive emotion you might have had. Jevil. Just the thought of him sends a shiver down your spine. After seeing that insane scribbling over your book you couldn't help but feel somewhat terrified.

You tilt your head down and lay both of your hands over your face. Maybe, the King of Spades was right.

You are a weakling.

The crowd’s uproar earlier was now exchanged for excited whispers and murmurs. You force yourself to remove your hands and look at the stage. Your eyebrows furrow and your jaw opens slightly. Behind the black curtains was…another pair of curtains? You blink and rub your eyes. Nope, that most certainly is there. The new black drapes left barely a slither of the stage out in the open.

The spotlights were trained on the middle as if there was something there that you were meant to see. You leaned forward in your chair, trying to see if there was something... anything on that floor.

Suddenly a brilliant, blinding pillar of light explodes in the middle of the stage. It burned through your retinas and you rush back into your chair clutching your poor eyes. You manage to squint your eye to see what the hell was happening on stage. The light dims and fades away revealing a teenage heartthrob. He had a tall, lanky figure that was decorated with an old fashioned royal suit. His dark blue suit and matching skin tone combined wonderfully with his long white gorgeous hair. If you didnt know any better you would think you were looking at the front cover of Hot Darkners Weekly.

There was a large amount of high pitched screams erupting from the crowd. You clutch your ears at the eruption of high pitched screams from the audience. God damn! Did they need to scream like they were being murdered?

From the balcony on the other side of the King of Clubs, a sharp whistle cuts through the air. Was one of the Kings a fan of this guy? You move your gaze back down to the mysterious performer. He was bowing to the audience, he rose and winked out to his fans.

Your eyebrows lowered. What is this ladykiller doing here? Isn't this supposed to be Jevil and Seams show? Although, you definitely didnt mind having some more time to digest the events that have transpired today.

“Who the hell is this guy?” Slips out of your throat. Your eyes widen and one of your hands slaps against the front of your traitorous mouth.

Did the King of Spades hear that? How could you be so careless?

The last thing you would want to do is annoy the King with your stupid thoughts. You pray that he didn’t hear that...

You take a quick peek at the King next to you, He had both of his mouths lowered into a scowl and the shadow over his eyes ever darkened. His head was tucked into his one of his hands. And the other was tapping impatiently on its armrest. 

“That's Rouxls Kaard.. a PITIFUL little darkner… The Jokers used to use him as a distraction when they need more time to set up…” The Spade chuckle’s out. “I bet that even a darkner with your miserable magic level could strike him down.”

You could feel a shudder going down your spine from the King's laugh. At least he didnt look at you when he responded.

The cheers from the watchers of the show start dying down around you. You glance back at this… Rouxls Kaard.

He throws up the microphone in his hand, and moves his arm around, gesturing to the audience.

“My Dearest admirers! Welcometh to the Roulxls Kaard show!”

A chorus of high pitched screeching sings so high you swear it could shatter glass. A bouquet of roses is thrown at the model from up high. He grasps it as they fall down turning in a circle, and lifting the finely cut flowers to his face. He moves them toward his chest and turns the direction they came from.

“Thankest thee dearly, King of Hearts! Thine flowers have growneth beautifully.”

He gives a cheeky wink at what you presume is the King of Hearts on the other balcony. A deep wolf-whistle comes from what most likely was the Heart in question.

You stifle a groan begging to be released from your mouth. Is this all Rouxls Kaard’s is going to do? Just flirt with the audience.

“You also, find no joy in watching this pushover stroking his ego, guard?”

You nearly jump out of your seat at the sudden appearance of the Spades deep aggressive voice. Your eyes slowly travel to him, he's leaning back on the chair now with arms crossed in front of his body, his shadowed eye glued to you. His two mouths had their corners raised upward into an amused, intimidating smile. You remove your gaze from the terrifying King, you weren't strong enough to look at him.

Not strong enough. You grit your teeth. Ever since that Jester crawled into your life you've felt so weak. So spineless. With just a glance, he could make you quiver and shake...

You’re so tired of being afraid.

Putting on a mask of confidence, you lean back into your chair and place your hand under your chin.“His act is nothing more then him looking pretty for the audience.” You cross your legs in front of you and look down at the stage.

Rouxls Kaard had an envelope out that had a love letter written on the front of it in bright red marker. He ripped the flap up delicately. From the opening, he ripped out a bright red heart-shaped paper. Was he seriously reading his fan mail on his show? You turn your nose up at him in disgust. “What an idiot.” You lean back towards the stage to get a better look at what in god's name this darkner was doing.

You can hear a rumble of laughter coming from the spade besides you. “Hahahaha… At least someone agrees with me for a change…” HIs deep voice sounded slightly more relaxed than before. You can hear the chair squeak from the King shifting his massive body around.

Rouxls Kaard held the paper heart gently, and with great care in his hand, close to his attractive face. He held up his microphone, and shoot a seductive smile at the willing crowd. With the screams of his fans, he begins reading the contents of the letter to the eagerly awaiting audience.

“My darlinge Rouxls Kaard. Your presence is akin to a polished jewelst amongst a seath of jagged rocks.”

The blue lanky darkner draped the poem across his forehead, turned his head away from the watching darkners.

“Thine is refined, sparking and nevereth fails to make mine soul swoon after thee. Thank you, for bringing thine beautiful features into my life.” He turns his head back to the mob of darkners holding onto his every word like a prophet.

“Love, one of your plentiful admirers.”

He tilts his head at the crowd. “Whomst ever wrote this piece. Thine tastes are divine.” He winks once again at the audience, causing them to an uproar in applause and screaming.

A frown forms on your face. Everything about his Act felt wrong. 

You raise your body up to rest on the back of your seat again, not wanting to see what else this moron was going to call entertainment. Your eyes narrow, just thinking about it.

Thunderous laughter roars out of the Kings mouths.“ You hate it that much, guard? The disgust on your face paints a fine picture.”

You tense up as soon as he speaks to you again. Hiding your emotions deep down inside, you throw your arm out at Roulx Karrd.”How is this even entertainment?” You pull your hand back. ‘Even worse is the number of Darkners cheering him on…” You peek gingerly at the King.

He's sitting up with his hands gripped onto the sides of the chair, his shadowed gaze was drawn on you. “Yes, it's a shame how idiotic some can be…”

Shockingly enough, you didn’t feel a spike of fear at seeing him look at you this time. Was your strategy of “fake it till you make it” working?

Even if it wasn't, He did seem to be trying to act more friendly towards you. But you still felt as if he was going to throw you off of the balcony at any second… There had to be something you could do to make this situation better for yourself.

You rub your hand against your chin. Huh? A truly delicious idea fills your soul. You gently grasp your hands together.

Why not kill two birds with one stone?

You reach over to the side of your chair and pull up the soda and popcorn Jevil had given you. You’re sure as hell that you didnt want to eat this… So why not try giving it to the King of Spades? He might appreciate it.

Swallowing the nervous lump in your throat, you put your plan into action. “My King. Would you like to have my snacks?”

The King of Spade's smile faded. “Why are you offering that to me weakling?” His voice was an octave lower.

Regret immediately fills your soul. D-did you just offend the King by offering that? A downpour of sweat falls down your face you attempt to come up a reasonable answer. “Well, I uh… Knew that I was going to be sitting next to the King of Spades... So, I wanted to get you something for the show...” You stare down at your feet, being unable to look at him while you spout out your lies.

“...hahaha… You’re a fan? That explains quite a bit…” His voice had relaxed back to its original tone. “Very well. I accept your offering.” The weight of the popcorn and soda was removed from your hands. You sigh, happy that he took that away from you, and happy that his fingers didnt graze yours in the transfer.

Your face was filled with confusion at the comment he just spouted out. He thought you were a fan of his? Maybe, he thinks that your horror at his presence was more of a nervous fan struggling to speak to their idol?

The sound of thunderous applause draws your attention on to the stage. Rouxls Kaard is standing there bowing once again to the audience. “Alas, our timeth together has comest to a close. But thou shalt not have to weep! Thine will be righteth here next week.”

The cacophony of darkners screaming about how much they love him makes you want to tear off your ears. One of the audience members throws a choco diamond onto the set. In an instant, more and more gifts fly towards the handsome egomaniac on stage. Multiple baked goods and flowers were thrown at the dark handsome darkner. But there were some more interesting ones out of the bunch. One was a realistic portrait drawing, another was grand piano someone had managed to fling at the stage. You weren't quite sure if it was a gift or if someone was attempting to flatten him…. and bizarrely the last gift was a jar of worms?

.

Is he a bug collector or something?

Surprisingly enough, none of the goods were damaged in any way when they fell on the stage. There must have been some enchantment or something on it because that piano should have caused some damage.

Rouxls Kaard turns to the audience dramatically and holds his hand to his lips, kissing it tenderly, then he lifted his hand in front of his face and blew the kiss into the audience. Many of previously screaming darkners made a mad dash to the place where he kissed to claim it for their own.

A white blinding light hits the stage once again, and once again, made you want to claw out your own eyes from the pain. You rub your eyes in agony.

But when you open them all you can see is pure black. Did you actually go blind from Rouxls Kaard white teleportation thing?

You blink a couple times, trying to get your seeming loss, sight back. When an eerily familiar melody started playing. It sounded like circus music.

Wait, isn't that the exact same melody that the carousel toy in Seams room made?

The crowd started screaming and cheering much louder then they did before. A single spotlight turns on focused on the right corner of the stage. Dread fill your features. Looks like it's time for Jevil to make his appearance once again.

A squeaking sound from beyond the stage slowly got louder and louder until a literal cannon rolls into the spotlight.

What?

The cannon was aiming towards the other side of the stage. A familiar fuzzy paw comes out of the darkness gripping the fuse of the cannon. His other paw ignites creating a steady flame that he then uses to light the fuse. Within a matter of seconds, the cannon explodes sending itself flying backward off of the stage.

And what else would the cannon be firing out than that little pest, Jevil. He summersaults through the air like the little spaz that he is. He extends his arms out to the floor summoning a giant bouncy ball between himself and the cold hard ground. The ball bounces him into the air, he does a flip and lands back on the ball on the tips of his feet. The audience whistle and cheer from that amazing entrance.

You frown heavily, crossing your arms. It seemed a little anticlimactic after everything you've seen Jevil do… It also didnt help that the King of Spades was cramming down popcorn into his lower mouth causing that horrible crunching sound popcorn always performs to ring in your ears.

Jevils bounces the ball and himself onto the middle of the stage, with a rather exaggerated look of boredom stretched across his mug. “BOO HOO HOO, HOW BORING, BORING I BE... STANDING ON THIS, I AM MERELY JUST BALANCING! THERE IS NO EXCITEMENT, EXCITEMENT LIKE WAS PROMISED TO YOU!” He yelled, his voice flat and filled with disinterest. You had to admit it was kind of funny that Jevil didn't need a mic for every darkner to hear his booming obnoxious voice. Now that you think about, maybe that's why he sounds so deafening whenever you two were talking together. He's just used to talking so loud that his voice can fill up an auditorium.

Jevil jumps off of the ball and twirls in the air, landing back down with a whole new look to his face. Jevil’s eyes smile up in that typical Jevil look you have seen him wearing with a cheshire grin to match. His eyes dart upwards, and sparkle as soon as his pinprick eyes meet yours. Your skin goes paler at the terrifying delighted look in his eyes.

His arm flys in front of him. “INSTEAD OF THAT BORING SCENE. LET CHAOS, CHAOS MAKE THIS EVENT MORE EXTREME!” Three scythe-like objects pop into existence over his hand. He tosses them up into the air and starts juggling the sharp objects. The clown bounces on his ball thrusting himself into the air performing frontflips and backflips without even so much as slowing down his juggling, in fact, his juggling only seemed to accelerate. A chorus of Oh’s and Ah’s come from the crowd, in between the furious clapping. The scythes he was juggling were only a blur of color to the onlookers now.

His movements looked deliberate and calculated like an eloquent dance. It was strangely beautiful in a way…But you are far from feeling any sort of positive emotion from it. You try to follow the movements of his hands. But his actions are just too quick… God, what a little spaz.

His juggling slows back down and he starts bouncing up into the air straight up. He bounces over to the middle, dropping down and standing on the ball. His smile grows ever wider and his eyes sneakily peek over to you, which made you shudder. His tail swaying back and forth and his hands are still throwing his scythes around.“NOT DONE, DONE! THIS IS ONLY A WARM-UP! LET'S FIRE IT UP, SEAM!”

A spotlight shines onto the middle of the stage revealing the face of your feline acquaintance, standing on a raised platform. Instead of the brown cloak, he wore this morning, he was now donning purple and black robes that matched Jevil’s perfectly. The crowd whistles and your body relaxes at his appearance. You couldn't stop your eyes from smiling at the old coot. Finally, you get to see a darkner that doesn’t stress you out.

But as soon as you glance back down to the jester your hands grip the sides of the chair, causing an audible cracking sound to come from the armrest, breaking it under your hand. The change in his features was subtle. Miniscule enough that no one in the crowd would be able to tell. His smile and eyes that shined happy for the audience took a much more menacing tone. His eyes yellow eyes were more akin to a shade of amber and his grin felt forced and cynical.

The look lasted little more than a second, but it buried itself into your soul. Was that… what Jevil looks like when he's upset? It completely blew the King of Spade's intimidation out of the water… You never want to see that again… However, that does beg the question...

Why is he angry?

Thankfully, the King was too preoccupied with sucking up his soda to pay attention to what you were doing so, you wouldn't have to deal with talking to him as well. You rub your aching head and put your focus back onto the show.

Seam playful smirked at the audience and snapped his fingers, causing a fireball to materialize into the air. Seam flicked his wrist and the magical flame barrels towards the purple clown. Jevil bounces to the side of the easily dodging Seams attack. With his scythes still being tossed into the air, he sticks his tongue out of his head. “UEE HEE HEE! SEAM, PLEASE, THIS IS JUST A SIMPLE CHAOS! YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!” The fool laughs out, mockingly. Jevil is rocking back and forth on the ball, pure excitement distilled on his face.

Seam shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders. “Hahahaha… You asked for it…” Seam says, teasingly. Seam holds his hands together and a barrage of red hot flames appear on both sides of the fool. Several gasps emerge from the crowd, and you lean forward to try to get a better look at this insanity. There were more than fifty fireballs on either side of the clown. How the hell is he going to get through that? The jester’s eyes glimpse at you, his ears lower and his smile widens, his eyes shining that mysterious look from before. You feel a shiver roll down your spine, and a longing to lean back to your chair. But you are far too interested in what was happening right now to leave your spot.

Seam tills his head at the audience. “A little chaos…” The cat’s mouth twists upward, mischievously. “That seems like fun.” Seams paws spring out of one and another gasp and his magic propel’s itself at the Jester at an unimaginable speed. The crowd falls quiet, eagerly awaiting the fools next move. You leaned further over the balcony edge, your jaw dropping somewhat.

The fool throws his scythes into the air and jumps up after them. The fireballs fly after him. But accidentally hit each other in the crossfire, resulting in a gorgeous explosion of red and orange hues to brighten up the stage. Ooooo’s fly out of the audience's mouths at the bright hues. Jevil's upwards momentum made him fast enough to dodge the first wave on just his speed alone. You gulp the dryness of your throat, hands clenching the balcony. What was he going to do? How was he supposed to get out of this alive?

Your eyes widen and you release your grip.

Were you... worried about Jevil?

You sigh… You do loathe him with all of your being but… You wouldn't want him turned to dust or extremely hurt…

You're not like them.

At the end of the jump, Jevil winks at the crowd before falling back down. He leans back the fireball barely missing his face, exploding with another one nearby. The Joker twists around missing the next one. Turn, left, right, curl… Jevil dodged one, right after another not even breaking a sweat. The Jester falls right back on top of his ball, the last volley heading straight towards him. He places his hands on his chest and leans over to his audience in a bow. The fireballs hit each other in the air above him, forming a heart-shaped explosion.

The crowd starts clapping and cheering. But quickly quiet down after Jevil raises his head and places one of his fingers over his lips. The Fool gradually extends his arm out in front of him, his palm facing the sky. His juggling scythes fall on top of his hand one by one forming a nice little pile. The crowd goes nuts. Cheering and raving at that incredible act they had just witnessed. You had to pick up your open jaw up with your hands.

How did he…?

That was dodging on a level you had only seen in one other before.

Jevil stands back up, laughing like crazy, the scythes and ball disappearing, He plops back down to the floor and twirls around. “BWA HA HA! CHAOS, CHAOS!” He grabs his head off of his head and bows it down to the audience, showing off his inner spring.

Without thinking your hands, softly clap together from your still leaning body. You felt like you were in a daze. Awestruck. You never thought that you would ever get to see anything like that again...

After... everything happened…

You look down at your moving hands and smile sadly.

You really miss them…

You toss the smile off of your face, not letting yourself dwell in your memories for another second. You didn’t want to cry here. You lift your face back up to meet with Jevil peeking at you once again. His eyes looked slightly wider than they normally did, and his tongue was out of his mouth. heavily panting.

And… Was he…

...BLUSHING?!

His face was wearing a slight purple tint around his cheeks. It was light enough that it could be attributed to all of the intense exercises he just did, as could the panting. But something told you that, there was another reason for it…

You slam your body back in your seat. Your soul beating so loud that you swear the entire auditorium could hear it. Remember deep breathing, (Y/N). You close your eyes...

In…

Out...

In…

Out…

A groan from the seat beside you, almost makes you scream out in fear. You open your eyes and delicately move them towards the King of Spades. You nearly cry in relief, at the sound asleep, covered in popcorn kernels body of the King of Spades. Oh, thank God!

In…

Out…

In…

Out...

The tenseness of your body steadily releases. You place your hands over your exhausted, normal pacing soul. Even though your body was now much calmer, your mind refused to slow down. There was one question that would not stop ringing throughout your head.

Did Jevil… Like you?!

There's no way… Why would he…

He can't because of... He…

Seam teleports on stage next to Jevil, but his comforting face can’t save you now. You think you see Seam say something to the audience but you can't make out Seam’s voice anymore. Hell, you can’t even hear anything anymore. Only a droning static fills your ears.

You need to get out of here.

You don't care where just…

You need to be alone…

You grab your once journal and your pen, you are not going to lose anything anymore. At Least not while he's around. You step out of your seat and calmly walk away from the balcony.

Jevil is going to see you leave and come after you. You just know it! But, you didn’t have another choice. There was no way you could leave without him seeing you. 

You glance around hallway searching for a place you could rest in solitude. Your eyes spring past the kitchen to an unmarked closet nearby. That might be a good choice…

You sprint over there placing your hand on the doorknob, praying that the closet wasn't locked. To your delight, the door opens with ease and you rush inside. Closing the door behind you, your vision was enveloped in darkness. you rub your hands all over the wall to find a light switch, you finally find it and flick it on.

The closet is a little larger then you thought it would be. It was only slightly smaller than your room. The entire room seemed to be covered in a think layer of dust, as if no one had entered it in centuries. It had multiple old filing cabinets, some old chairs stacked on top of each other, and boxes all arranged as if an earthquake hit this room. 

You place your back on one of the old abandoned metal cabinets and move in easily over to the front of the door, barricading the room. This should stop anyone from entering. 

Unless they teleport in of course...

Your back presses harshly against the cold metal of the black cabinets, mind spiraling out of control. Your hands cup your mouth, and you glance down at your feet. There had to be something. God please, Anything! That disproves your theory.

Why would Jevil have a crush on you?! He hasn't shown any potential interest in you…

Except...

He was so insistent on learning more about you...

He didn’t even want to perform if you weren't here...

You land to the ground on your knees, your upper body chucks itself downwards. Your hands leave your mouth and throw themselves down on the group to steady your swaying body.

He always tells you that your ‘fun’...

You throat shrieks as you start dry heaving. You were happy that you didn’t eat Jevil’s little “gift” in more ways than one right now.

He wanted to touch you… so much the first time you met him...

He cuddled your journal so tight to his chest, so lovingly. Tenderly. As if it meant everything to him...

Violently your entire body shakes, as you retch your lungs out. Your esophagus was on fire, adrenaline ran throughout your veins.

When… He…

Hugged you… And...

Nuzzled his head into your hair...

That was the happiest you had ever heard him.

Your stomach was being stabbed over and over, and over, and over… You were coughing up the imaginary blood.

Your body falls down onto the floor beneath you. You flip over to your side and curl up into a ball. Your hands wrap themselves around your legs, nails sticking into your skin.

Air started to flow in and out of your mouth again. Coughing your lungs out in between each heavenly breath.

There's no way he just likes you…

You claw into your calves causing a steady trail of blood to leak down your skin, creating a small puddle on the floor.

You knew what that strange look in his eyes meant this whole time… You just couldn't admit it...

You whimper and your hands clutch the sides of your aching head.

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?...

Why did it have to be me? Why did it have to be him?


	6. Determination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Determination.

You never understood why other darkners say ignorance is bliss. Isn't it better to know the truth? Even if it isn't pretty? 

The coldness of the floor was numbing the side of your body, Your eyes were squinting, tears streaming down your face. The wetness of your own blood was dripping down your legs.

You wish you didn’t realize it. You wish that you could just be ignorant again. Anything was better than… This.

You whimper into your legs, shaking uncontrollably.

What were you supposed to do? You didnt like him, you couldn't ever see yourself feeling the same.

Just imagine having to live with him every single day… You two talking over breakfast, having to look in his petrifying gaze all day, having to sleep in the same bad as him... 

Having… Kids…

Gagging, rip yourself out of your curled up state, using your arms to balance yourself. You arch your body up hacking and gagging. A metallic taste fills up your destroyed throat as you retched out a crimson liquid. It sprays out all over the floor, leaving specks of its dark red hue on your arms.

The red floods the floor in front of you, leaving a disgusting mess. You flop over to the side heaving in needed oxygen for your overworked lungs. The world was spinning around you, blurring colors. Your body felt as heavy as a rock. You struggled to keep your eyes open.

What would happen if you denied him?

The inked out faces of the darkners in your book echo in your mind, and your hands attempt to grab the hard floor.

His careless strokes painted a picture. A picture filled with a wrathful aura. But you were unable to see what it truly meant. The only bastion of hope you had was that Seam might be spared from it.

If you said no... Were you going to be “scribbled out” too?

...Was that a better fate than the alternative?

You cup your hands to your face. Why did you have to meet him? Why did any of this have to happen?

You remove your hands from your face and stare at them as if they weren't your own.

The only thing you can pray for now is that you're wrong. t you just misread the situation and that Jevil just wanted to be friendly to the new guard...

But why would he call you my guard then?

Your throat tightens up, and you move your body to sit up in case you start hacking out your lungs again. You keep your eyes on your lap, paranoid that if you looked anywhere else you would be face to face with your tormentor.

It really is true, isn't it… Hell, you couldn't even say Jevil had a mere crush on you anymore. The emotions swirling in his eyes have gone far beyond that. It was the look of want. A look of need. A look of… Obsession...

He was utterly obsessed with you, wasn’t he?

Your mouth opens and a small laugh comes out, hollow and hopeless.

You knew that look. You’ve seen it before. The horrible promises that lay inside.

And you had no idea how to stop it.

Your hands reach up to massage your aching temples. You knew that he was probably looking for you right now. He had to have noticed you leaving early... He's going to want an explanation for your sudden departure…

You shake your head.

No. You can’t let him know that you understand his feelings towards you. That would cause him to pop that awful question much sooner than you'd like… But eventually, he's going to ask you to be his. You can't avoid him to stop it from happening either. He knows which room you reside in for god's sake!

Your eyebrows furrowed together.

Unless…

Your soul swells and a brief glimmer of hope sparkles in your eyes.

...You quit your job at the castle.

You wouldn't have a roof over your head or a steady supply of food anymore. But that was a small price to pay compared to having to see Jevil’s infatuated gaze every day.

But…

Your happy face falls, thinking back to the ink he added to your history book. Your hands clench each other and you bare your teeth.

You’re the only one who knows about that…. If anything happened to everybody because you ran away. You gulp, the motion stinging your raw throat. What if he was planning on dusting everyone…

That would mean that…

Rudinn...

And perhaps even Seam…

Your eyes widen then slowly soften.

You care. You actually care. Something you tried your best to stop from happening...

You bare your teeth, feeling the presence of something in your soul that you never thought would return.

DETERMINATION

You are a guard. You will protect the darkners of this kingdom. You will not let your fears and phobia get in the way. You won’t let him get in the way.

You have something to fight for. And you aren't going to let anything take this feeling away from you again.

You raise your head from your lap fully expecting to see his eyes staring back at you. Instead, your eyes were met with the same old closet. Old filing cabinets, stacks of unused folding chairs, and miscellaneous boxes scattered around the place haphazardly. 

You lift yourself up and place your knees on the ground, steadying yourself on the metal cabinet you barricaded the door with. You lift yourself up off of the ground but your legs were unable to support your weight. 

You fall on top of the cabinet gripping it around your arms to stop yourself from falling to the ground. Blurry swirling colors greet your vision and stab your brain with needles. Your brain hurt as if you had just studied for a final exam. You let out a moan of pain and grip the cabinet harder. You curse at yourself, all of that blood loss definitely had an impact on you.

The sound of clapping emerges from right behind you, growing faster and faster. Then it stops only to be replaced with a high pitched congratulatory whistle. You lay your head down on the top of the cabinet, with a large groan. The high pitched sound only aggravating your already splitting headache.

“MY GUARD! WHAT A PERFORMANCE! UEE HE HE! CHAOS, CHAOS!” Jevil as usual arrived with the voice that was soothing as nails on a chalkboard. But you couldn't help but feel like there was something off.. About his voice. The rhythm of his cheerful vocalizations didn’t feel the same.

Was he trying to psych you out? Or are you just imagining things?

Wait, did he just admit that he watched you during your whole breakdown?

“BWA HA HA! ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS I'VE EVER SEEN! NO, NO MATTER WHAT I DO I TRULY CAN'T PREDICT YOU!” Your body grows tense from the thought of those loving eyes watching you... But you can’t let him get under your skin anymore.

You have to be strong.

Footsteps behind you grow closer. “HE HE HE. WHAT? CAT, CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE?” His playful voice teased you, feeling much more sinister than any other time before.

You lift your face back up and gulp down at the dryness of your bleeding sore throat. “Throat… Hurts…” Your throat screamed at you as you attempted to use its raw bleeding flesh.

The clown materialized on the left side of the cabinet, having to float in the air to reach the top of it. He was smiling his standard overjoyed smile with a tint of amusement and an emotion you couldn't place drenched in his pinprick eyes.“OH YES, YES! OF COURSE, IT DOES!”

He lifts up his hand and starts drawing patterns into the metal surface. “WHY DON'T YOU HEAL IT?” He stares eagerly into your eyes, sending a small shiver down your spine.

Your eyes widen and you breathe deeply through your nose. God dammit. Just thinking about your healing abilities… Heat rises to your cheeks and you place your face down on the cabinet. “I… Can't… Use… Myself…”

“NU-HA! IS THAT EMBARRASSMENT I SEE ON, MY GUARDS FACE.” Jevil teased, causing you to bury your face even deeper into the cold metal from your heavily tinted cheeks.

“HE HE HE. HOW FUN, FUN!” You take a deep breath, trying to compose yourself. The heat finally fades from your face, and you take a peek at Jevil.

His face has moved considerably closer to yours beaming at you, that loving look shining in his eyes. His arms were tucked underneath his head, barely lifting up his adorning gaze to meet your own.

Adrenaline spikes itself throughout your veins. Every nerve in your body is screaming to get away from him. You grit your teeth, not moving a muscle from where you stood. You were going to stand your ground, despite what your instincts told you to do. You can feel the determination rising into your eyes.

He blinks his mouth opening slightly. His eyes stare at yours in a look of disbelief. Then, his eyes shut and his mouth closes, still etched into a grin. He staggers back. Holding his face in his hands, shaking.

Your tough exterior fades, and uneasiness grasps itself on your entire being. You hadn't expected a reaction like that!

...D-did you break Jevil?

“he he he…” Slowly, the fool starts laughing, much quieter than his usual noisy voice... Tail frantically moving back and forth.

“Uee hee hee. Ha Ha Ha…” Steadily his giggles get louder and louder. He clutches his face, shaking it back and forth stepping even further backward.

”He He.. Is it true? That my sight did not deceive me before…That spark in your eyes…” Pure silence. A deafening silence fills the air.

Your body is pale and sharking. Your throat tightens, threatening to make you cough up even more of your precious crimson blood.

What the hell is Jevil doing?

“BWA HA HA HA! HA HA HA!” Jevil suddenly explodes, throwing his hands out of his face. His booming insane chuckles are louder than anything you had ever heard come out of his throat. His tongue was sticking out of his mouth and his smile was etched unsettlingly far on his features.

But worse of all... His eyes. The look in them completely blew away that loving look in his eyes you saw before.

Pink. His eyes were pink with… hearts on the inside?! So many different emotions sprang from his eyes. Love, devotion, insanity, happiness and...

Possession.

With that, your resolve falls entirely. You don’t know what’s going through that twisted little mind of his, but you knew that whatever it was…

You need to get out of here.

With your vision blurring, you rip your arms from the steadiness of the cabinet only for your legs to give out underneath you. You tumble to the floor helplessly, falling on your face. Why did you have to be such a weak piece of shit? You’re garbage. Useless.

“UEE HE HE! IT'S REAL! IT'S REAL! HA HA HA! TOO EXCITED, EXCITED! TOO MUCH FUN, FUN! CHAOS, CHAOS!” You slowly force your head up, barely keeping your exhausted eyes open. Jevil was clenching his gut with his arms, cackling like it was the end of the world.

You were at the mercy of this lunatic…

You laid your head back onto the floor. You can’t even try to fight back your growing exhaustion

Your body just seems to have shut down...

Jevil’s giggling sounds much closer to you now, but you can't even find the strength to lift your head up anymore.

"BWA HA HA! YOU’RE SO EXCITING, EXCITING... I CAN'T RESIST! HA HA. I CAN’T CONTROL MYSELF!”

You can’t even register what he's saying. It just sounded like random noises...

You’re so tired…

The floor feels rather soft and cozy… Even nicer than Seam’s couch. It would be fine if you… rested for a while, right? Your eyelids lower themselves. For a second you fight back you keep a slither of your eye open but, your eyelids win, shutting out your eyes from the world. You instantly felt your body relax and your consciousness fading. But before you were completely out…

You swear you could feel tender fingers run through your hair.

“BYE! BYE!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your bed shakes, waking you up from your slumber. You clench the blanket on top of you in your hands.

“Ughhh….” You grumble. “It's too early to early to get up Rudinn...” You roll your body to the side grabbing the blanket with you. You snuggle back into the blanket, bathing yourself in its warm softness. You stay there slowly drifting back to sleep.

“HEE HEE… WHAT FUN!!” Giggled out from right beside you. Your soul beats rapidly a cold sweat falling over your face.

W-was Jevil in your bed?

Your eyes wrench open, all of your sleepiness instantly leaving your body. The fool couldn't have been more than an inch away from your face. His pupils were dilated not hiding how ecstatic the jester is, with a smile to match. You scream, hurling yourself away from him. You hit the floor face first with a resounding thud.

“BWA HA HA!! CHAOS, CHAOS!” Jevil giggled, clearly enjoying your reaction.

The floor felt grimy under your weight as if it hadn't been cleaned for years. What? Your floor isn't this grubby.

Lifting your head up, you open your eyes to see... dirt. Normal black dirt.

Where the hell are you?

You sit up gazing around at the dark landscape. The walls were coated in purple strips and being held up by the metal poles sticking out of the ground. Various items were scattered on the outskirts of the rather large building. There were containers filled with horns, small juggling balls, fake flower, and some equipment a high diving board, a chair with a large bite taken out of one of the legs, a unicycle, and stacks of large rings.

A spotlight was trained on the empty large middle of the room. If that light wasn't there you probably wouldn't even be able to even see your own two feet.

This must be a circus tent. And judging by the presence of Jevil it must belong to him and Seam…

Your face crumples up with confusion...How did you get here?

The last thing you can remember was Jevil going… Crazy… And you collapsing of exhaustion on the floor.

You thankfully didn’t feel that tiredness anymore. That jester must have healed you or something...

You nervously peek back up at what you thought previously was your bed. Instead, that space was occupied by a pile of protective landing mats. You were surprised that they were comfy enough that you would confuse them for your bed.

And of course, the clown was laying on top of it, tail swaying above him, staring at you absorbing every little thing you did. He had his cape tucked into his palms and was rubbing it gently into his cheek.

...Was the blanket his cape?

Oh, god! You wanna throw up just thinking about that...

The pure excitement drench in his eyes, made the ever-growing panic inside of you rise to the surface.

Kidnap. The one explanation that bounced around inside your mind.

Jevil had kidnapped you.

He was going to keep you here forever, chatting to you, staring at you with that horrible look…

...Cuddling you...

You slowly get up off of the ground, shrinking away from his gaze. You step into the bright light, it engulfing your poor eyes, hurting them for a couple of seconds. Your eyes adjust

You glance around frantically around hoping to see some kind of escape. Your soul was beating out of your chest.

A whimper tried to wiggle its way out of your throat, but you suppressed it. No. Being scared isn't going to do anything…

But you being brave was the thing that caused him to snap…

On one hand, you could be courageous; standing up to him… and risk making his insane even worse. On the other, you could stay fearful and… What? Be stuck here forever!

Your knuckles turn white from how hard you are clenching your hands. You are not going to let him walk over you like that...

Rage covers up the uncertainty and terror in your eyes. You glare straight at his stupid painted features. “Why am I here?”

Jevil's pupils shrink, eyes widening. Looking even more deranged then before “I WANT… NO. NEED TO PLAY A CERTAIN GAME WITH YOU. HE HE HE.” He disappears from the protective mat pile, reappearing on the opposite side of the circus tent. His yellow teeth glint menacingly from the lighting.

He wanted to play a game with you the first time he met you too. But just the way he said game told you that this was going to be something so much more than just answering questions...

“Ok, but why do I have to be here to play it?”

Jevil caresses one of his cheeks, desire burning in his eyes. “ HA HA HA… NO ONE CAN...INTERRUPT US, US HERE!”

W-Was… He… Planning on…?

What Seam implied to you before hits you like a bolt of lightning. Every muscle in your body freezes, and your mind goes blank. Bile starts making its way up your throat from you just thinking about it...

Jevil shakes his head back and forth.“ OH! NO NO NO! NOTHING LIKE THAT!...”

Oh, thank god! You sigh out of relief, your heartbeat slowing back down. 

“... JUST A SIMPLE NUMBERS GAME, GAME.” He takes a step forward, moving his hand up into the air. Magic spades form in the air right above you.

Shock courses through your veins and your mouth falls open.

What? 

“WHEN YOUR HP DROPS TO 0, YOU LOSE!” He lowers his arm and the spades follow. You throw yourself out of the way of the falling magic, and you skid across the dirt floor, narrowly missing all of his spades.

Jevil wants to battle you, huh? You slowly get up, dusting off the dirt from your clothes. You would be lying if you said that you didn't want to beat his face in but...

Flashes of him dodging on stage fill your head… With that kind of skill...

You shake your head… “You wanna fight me, Jevil?” You shout at him, determination shining through your soul.

You have to try. You have to be strong!

Jevil’s eyes go pink the second you speak to him, filling up with all those… Detestable emotions. His tongue flops out of his mouth and a dark purple blush tints his face. .“NU-HA! YES, YES!! LET'S PLAY, PLAY!!”

Those goddamned eyes… Every one of those emotions in those horrible eyes love, devotion, attachment, obsession…

Possession.

...Has caused your life to turn into a living hell. A constant state of fear and worry. You weren't going to let him get away from that unscathed.

Your entire face darkens, with a glare so sharp it could cut through any diamond.

“I must warn you then…”

You bare your teeth, slowly pacing towards him. Face contorted with disgust.

“... I don't have any mercy for you.”

You suddenly dash forward trying to hit the clown with a solid punch, but he disappears before your fist connects.

A hot puff of air hits your back. "I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY, MY GUARD!" You growl, spinning around to face him, with a punch being ready to throw.

You aim the punch right at his face, but he summons a large scythe right in front of him. You hit the hilt of the scythe and you split the scythe clean in half. The top half flies through the air, and rips a hole through the fool's circus tent. Now just holding onto the hilt of the scythe, Jevil's pink eyes get bigger and he gazes at you with longing, filled with desire. 

“BWA HA HA! LET THE GAMES BEGIN!”


	7. A Violent Promise

In the blink of an eye, the jester disappears, and the hilt of the punched-in-half scythe hits the floor with a solid thud. It rolls on the black dirt ground and hits the edge of your foot. You raise an eyebrow at the abandoned weapon.

Why would Jevil leave this behind?

It seemed easy enough for him to make his scythes vanish during the show…

“BWA HA HA!! MY GUARD, USE THAT AND DO YOUR STRONGEST---!” The fool’s voice echos out. You glance behind you, Jevil is floating around at the other end of the spotlight, watching you with those damned pink eyes...

Oh. So he’s actually giving you a weapon to defend yourself with? You look back down at the hilt, he gave you a broken damaged weapon. What you couldn't give me a normal scythe, Jevil?

You reach down to the floor and grasp the handle. The weapon felt solid and had a hefty bit of weight too. It could deal some good blunt damage….

If you're able to hit him. You know that from that stunt he pulled off on stage that hurting him was going to be a herculean task in itself…

Good thing you weren't a stranger to completing such feats.

You turn back at the clown, pointing the weapon at him. “Let’s dance.”

Jevil’s tongue spills out of his mouth, and his eyes point up to the sky. “UEE HE HE!” He laughs, as he cradles his hands close to his chest. “CHAOS CHAOS!! CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!” The jester vanishes, only to appear several feet in front of you. You grit your teeth, holding the hilt horizontally to your body.

“OH.” He throws his arms out, sending five spades speeding out. Each of the spades flew at a different angle, one aiming straight at you. You roll forward. The spade flies above you not even coming close to hitting. You jump out of your roll hilt firmly held in your hands. You slash your weapon out at the fool, only for him to vanish the moment before you would have damaged him. You land on your knees skidding on the ground, eyes narrowing even further.

“OH.” Utters out of the jester's. you turn to face him just as he launches out another five spades. Considering that only one of these is even close to hitting you… Maybe you could try…

You grab the hilt with both of your hands and hold it over your shoulder, keeping your eyes glued onto the spade aiming straight at you. The moment the jesters magic got close, the hilt shines white. You swing it hitting the spade.

It flings back at Jevil but dissipates inches away from his creepy grin. His face lights up even more pink eyes shimmering with curiosity and excitement.“NU-HA!! REFLECTION MAGIC? HA HA. HOW CLEVER, CLEVER!!” 

You glare, snarling at the fool, standing back up with the black dirt coating your knees “That look in your eyes…” You rest the hilt back on your shoulder, sprinting at him. “... Pisses me off!”

You ram the hilt into the empty air that the jester once filled. You growl, pulling the broken weapon back close to you.

“HE HE HE! HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU MISS, MISS?” Calls out the fool, right next to your ear. Your hands clench the hilt painfully tight. “Shut up!” You shout as brandish the hilt at him. Your body sways to the side at the power you put into the weapon, but still, your hilt fails to damage the little menace. Your teeth and stomping your foot on the ground, creating a small hole in the dirt.

Who was the darkner that taught Jevil to teleport?!

The fool giggles at your actions, having appeared slightly farther away from your enraged form. “YOU MAKE EVEN THE DEVILSKNIFE’S SMILE!! HA HA!” You put your feet back firmly down on the ground and glare daggers at the fool. His colorful scythes materialize a couple of feet away on either side of you. You peek behind you, another scythe was waiting to slice you into pieces. You were trapped on all sides by theses… Your eyebrows raise.

Devilsknives?

Wait, this is what a devilsknife is? These scythes are called devilsknives? Why are they called a devilsknives if they aren't even knives? Devilsknife, more like devilsscythe… 

“METAMORPHOSIS.” Flew out of the jester's mouth, breaking you out of your inner rant. Your mouth dropped open as you saw his body morphing and changing like play-doh . He starts spinning around, thinning out his frame. Then a bright flash of white light bursts out of him.

Jevil’s normal short, dorky look body was no more. Instead… Another devilsknife stood tall in its place.

Your eyes twitch, feeling your urge to maim him increase.

He can transform too?! God, he wasn’t kidding with the I can do anything line...

Your arms shake, gripping your weapon so hard your fingers dig into the metal.

And he decides to transform into something he could have just summoned!!

The devilsknives rotate in place, making you brace yourself in response. They all sling at you in an arched motion. With the way there moving they should all be slashing at your insides at the same time

Your eyes light up, You know that gives you an idea...

You crouch down studying the positioning of the scythes, one of your hands resting hard against the ground. Your timing had to be perfect for this to work…

The scythes race towards you. A single drop of sweat, fall off your face.

Wait for it…. NOW.

Your hand thrusts your legs first into the air. You grab the hilt in both of your hands behind your shoulder. Your face nearly grazes one of the devilsknives as they all whack into the area you once stood. The corners of your mouth lift up into a smirk.

Got you, bitch.

You swing the hilt down, Snapping the devilsknives one by one in half. You reached the last one, you hilt a mere centimeter away from hitting it… and it vanishes.

You land on top of the destruction you had wrought, keeping your eyes on the broken devilsknives. A blank expression on your face. You held the hilt loose in your hands. You thought you finally had him that time…

“ARE YOU TIRED ALREADY?” That thorn in your side shouts out, Your eyes narrow, lifting them up to meet Mr. Has-no-personal-space who was in your personal space. Your eyebrows lower, pure determination keeping you from being scared of his closeness. “Yeah, I’m tired…” You lift your face to meet his, your eyes glare into his pink pinpricks. “...Tired of your shit.”

Jevil pulls his face closer to yours, with his eyes glued on you. ”AWWW… SOMEONE'S ANGRY, ANGRY!!” His tail shifted behind him. You scowl, standing your ground. “What? Do you want me to hurt you?” The jester’s smile widens a light blush dusting his cheeks.”HE HE HE! IT’LL BE SO FUN, FUN WHEN YOU FINALLY DO…”Your face recoils away from his, your nose wrinkling. “Ugh… What’s wrong with you?!”

The jester disappears from in front of you snickering, making you roll your eyes. He materializes high up in the air, clutching his stomach. He starts does a nice little flip, with his mischievous laughter. “ UEE HE HE! YOU SPIN, SPIN ME!” he tosses his hands, not taking his eyes off of you. “BWA HA HA! MY GUARD! LET’S RIDE THE CAROUSEL TOGETHER!!” Your eyes brows raise. Huh, carousel? Can he summon an entire carousel?! You around trying to see what he was summoning but, you can feel something grab your legs. You look down and see wings grasping your legs, wings from a...You squint your eyes, mouth agape.

I-is that a duck?

H-horse?

The creature had the wings and body of a duck but... the head and tail of a horse.

What? W-why?

You try to rip your legs out of their feathery prison but whatever the hell Jevil just created clamped down on your legs so tight… there was no way you could wiggle out. The creature rises you up into the air, making you sit down on its back from the sheer speed. Taking a look around there were many copies of the creature, all strung together to make a complete circle.

Ah, so this must be the carousel…

“WHO KEEPS SPINNING THE WORLD AROUND?" Yells out Jevil and before you can react to it, the ride starts. You scream as the creature moves at a nauseating fast speed, moving up and down, causing your hair to float up and down rapidly.

“UEE HEE HEE!! WHAT FUN!!!” It comes from right behind you. You force your head to twist behind you. Jevil was sitting on the creature behind you, not struggling at all against the speed of these horrible things. He holds his head in his hands laughing up a storm at you. You grit your teeth, but confusion enters your features. “How is your hat staying on your head?” His hat should be flying off his head right now… but it defiantly stays glued to his scalp.

Jevil’s hands come up to his face and he giggles inside of them. “HE HE HE! I CAN DO ANYTHING!!” Your hand tightens around your weapon, and you roll your eyes. Of course, he would just spout out that line again…

He disappears from on top of the creature, and you glance around trying to see where that troublesome fool could have gone. "HEE, HEE, HAVING FUN?! JOIN THE CLUB!" Echos around you from every direction and three clubs appear in a line, soaring in your direction. You throw your body backward, you shouldn't have been even close to hitting any of them but the up and down motion of the statues made your body rise up and almost hit the last one on its way out.

You sit back on your creature, frowning. Dodging magic on this crazy thing is going to be tough…

“NU-HA!” Cries out the jester and another line of clubs appear, much lower than the last one. You try to stand up on the creature to gain some distance from the magic but you get tossed back on the statue. You quickly place your weapon in front of you, worrying if you can reflect all three of the clubs in a row. Your weapon glows white as the clubs draw near.

You do fast simple swipes at all of them, not really aiming them anywhere except away from you. The first one flies off high up to the right, the next reflects to the left and the last… gets deflected right into the creatures neck cutting it clean off and sending it hurtling into you.

The head smashes into your face making you fall over backward. It didn’t hurt too much. The head was right next to you so it didnt build up much speed... But something far worse was damaged.

Your pride.

Jevil materializes on the creature in front of you busting a gut, He laid on his side clenching his stomach and hitting the statue's body repeatedly with his fist. “BWA HA HA! YOU’RE TOO MUCH FUN, FUN!! CHAOS CHAOS!!” A vein popped out of your neck and you gave him the dirtiest glare you could muster. “Oh, go on laugh it up, little clown.” You sneered. “As if you've never done anything like that before…”

The creature seems to be moving slower now than it was before. You glance around, you could actually see the scenery around you instead of it just being a blur of colors. Your face wells up with confusion. “Why are you slowing it down?” You glance back at Jevil who was just starting to calm down his insane giggling.

“HA HA HA! IT’S TOO EASY, EASY! UNFAIR, UNFAIR!!” The jester sits back up still giggling to himself as the ride comes to a complete stop. Your eyes narrow, crossing your arms. That explanation didn’t make any sense. “Unfair?! What was unfair? You’re trying to hurt me aren't you?” You take one of your arms out, gesturing at the fool. “Then you should keep this attack going! I’m starting to think you don’t want to damage me…”

Jevil smirks with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “KIDDING! I JUST COULDN'T WAIT, WAIT TO TRY OUT MY NEXT ATTACK!” You frown deeper at the little nuisance. “Ughh… Idiot.” Jevil’s smirk expands across his face, and he waves at you. “HE HE. BYE BYE!” Wait why is he saying bye to me…

The creature under you dissipates and you fall to the ground. You yell understanding what he meant when he told you bye. You quickly curl yourself up into a ball, waiting to hit the ground. The second you touch the dirt floor, you roll yourself forward reducing the damage you would have taken from a drop of that height. Although, it wouldn’t have done too much damage if you didn’t...

“UEE HE HE!” Sounds out from above you. Looking up Jevil is floating up even higher up in the tent. He claps his hands together and six bombs with hearts printed on them spread out above you in the air. “MY HEARTS GO OUT TO MY LITTLE SINNER!” He lifts his hand up and snaps his fingers together. The first bomb starts falling down and you leap out of the way.

The bomb explodes on contact with the ground and sends out four hearts rotating in a circle. The hearts fly towards you making you sweat from the pattern. Jevil was really amping it up. You dash in between the hearts, seeing another bomb falling down nearby. The bomb hits the ground sending another of the same heart formation at you. Dodging it once again, another bomb starts falling.

You narrow your eyes and dash towards it. You hold your hilt down, sprinting as fast as possible at the bomb. As the bomb almost makes contact with the dirt, your hilt shines white smacking the bomb from the bottom, flinging it back up. The bomb launches, flying right into the other three still suspended in the air. An explosion of flashing white and black envelopes the sky and it grows larger and larger as the other bombs detonate from the first one's explosion.

You glare at the monotone explosion cursing under your breath. Jevil was supposed to be still up there so you could hit him with his own bombs. But there was no trace of him when you threw the bomb back up there!

Your eyebrows raise, staring at the dying down eruption. ... If he wasn’t up there… Then where was he?

The colors dissipate, spitting out each of their four hearts. Which immediately starts heading towards you. You hurriedly glance around, is Jevil around you planning a surprise attack? No matter how hard you looked you couldn't see a sign of the jester being anywhere. Did he bail? Is he hiding? You give up searching for the idiot and aim your vision back at the hearts. The heart formations seem to have come together on their path to reach you, overlapping each other to create a solid rotating square of hearts.

You gulp nervously, that can’t be good…

A sweat drop runs down your face as you step backward. The hearts are too close together for you to dodge through it and they are too wide for you to dash around it!

Hell, You can’t even reflect it… That’s too much magic to reflect back at once.

Determination frays up in your soul, an idea striking your core.

You bolt away from the deadly assault of hearts, sprinting to some of the random circus supplies on the edge of the tent. You search around, targeting your gaze at some of the miscellaneous boxes. Bingo. You dive behind them, quickly reading through the labels stuck on the cardboard prisons.

Whoopie cushions…No.

Balloons…No.

Throwing knives…No. 

Face Pain-

Wait, what was that last one?

The words throwing knives were proudly marked on the side of one of the bottom boxes, making you drop your hilt. Oh, just what the doctor ordered… You kneel down and hurl your hand at the box with one of your pointer finger sticking out. You shove the nail of the finger into the cardboard, and move your hand down, cutting a clean line in the packaging. You grab where you cut the box and throw your hand to the right, causing the box to rip and tear, creating a hole large enough for your hands to enter. You grab three of the knives and stand back up.

A cacophony of sound comes from right in front of you, and you spread your legs out and hold the knives behind you. You squint your eyes, feeling a little woozy. You really haven't practiced this technique in a while…

The hearts burst through the boxes ripping up all that laid before it. Shredded pieces of clothing, balloons, whoopie cushions, knives and paint soar every which direction.

You narrow your eyes at the attack, holding onto the knives a little tighter.

You hope this works… 

The knives all shimmer a brilliant white.. You hold your breath, sweat pouring down your face.

Come on… 

The knives change the white transitioning to a harsh black. Your soul beats in excitement. Yes!

You toss them out, each rushing into Jevils magic at a different angle. The knives fly through the air, flicking black and white. As they travel the flicking gets faster and faster until the knives reach the middle of the hearts. The knives disintegrate, each turning into a black shockwave, destroying all the hearts in that pattern.

“Woo!” You yell out, pumping your fist into the air. “I still got it!”

A pain suddenly shoots up your arm making you wince. You lower your arm down and hold it up to your face. There were small spatters from the face paint, coloring your arms but that was not the offending problem. Broken shards of the metal knives were sticking out of your skin, blood trickling out of your newly made wounds. Some were tiny pieces that could be pulled out without a problem, but others were large and implanted deep in your skin.

Oh… Oh no…

If one of those larger bits hit you in the chest or the head… You would have been dead instantly...

Maybe, you should have tried to move away from the boxes before you attacked Jevils magic.

You hesitantly look down at the rest of your body, fearing what you would find. Large sliver chucks, stick out of your legs and arms like monoliths with the smaller ones decorating the skin around them. The random globs of paint mixed with the red of your blood changed the bright wacky shades into some much duller colors. The scattered garbage that was thrown around by the hearts hit those areas like a truck…

So why was your torso not tainted by any of it?

It was completely fine. No paint. No shards of metal. No pain…

Come to think of it, your face doesn't feel any of the stinging pain either.

You wince as you force your damaged arm up. Your hand reaches out and touches your face, searching it. Yep, just as you suspected, no bits of knives and no paint. You pull your hand back, letting your aching arm relax next to you.

“UEE HE HE! MY GUARD! BE MORE CAREFUL, CAREFUL!!” Reverberates, right next to your ear. Your body tenses up at the sound of his voice, causing your wounds to scream out in agony. You slowly rotate your head over to where his voice calls out from. His eyes seem to get even bigger when your gaze meets his. His pink eyes were drenched in fondness, love and… a slight touch of fear? “LET ME HELP, HELP!”

He moves his hand over to one of the bigger chunks on your arm, but you force your throbbing legs to take a step back away from him. You grunt, eyes scrunching up from the pain flowing out of your legs. “What? Aren’t we fighting right now?” You would like help getting these metal pieces out of you but thinking of Jevil pulling them out... His hands are ever so close to your skin…

He tilts his head, floating closer to you. “AWW… DON’T BE COY, COY! WE CAN’T KEEP PLAYING IF YOU CAN’T MOVE” His hand reaches out to grab the same chunk as before. Your mind fills with panic, body painfully stiff. You almost step back again but you remember...

...You can’t let your fears control you like that anymore.

You grit your teeth, staying in the same place as before. You focus your eyes on his hands every movement. His hand reaches the shard in your arm and he grips his fingers around it, but he lets go. “YOU NEED TO SIT, SIT DOWN ON THE GROUND BEFORE WE START.”

As much you hated to admit it, you could accidentally fall over from the pain if you were standing. You take a deep breath “Ok. Fine.” You lean against the undamaged boxes behind you. You slowly inch yourself down, an un-benevolent pain scorching you from your legs. Eventually, you reached the point where you had to bend your knees in order to continue falling. Hot lava flows through you as you try to force your knees down. You whimper pathetically from the shear agonizing pain. You quickly straighten your legs back out, your legs throbbing angrily from you trying to bend them.

Jevil walks over in front of your legs, turning to face you, with a playful glint in his eyes. “MAY I BE OF ASSISTANCE?” You stubbornly turn your head away from him. “No…” The torturous pain shocks itself through your system again, making you wince. You look at him through the corner of your eyes, expression lowering. “Yes.”

His eyes widen glancing at you and your legs. His smile widens, eyes glimmering madly. “NU-HA!!” He wraps his arms around the calves of your legs. You yip from the sudden touch. He pulls your legs out from underneath you keeping your legs perfectly straight. You slide down to the dirt floor and he gently places your legs down in a V shape, letting go as soon as they hit the floor.

Your breathing was fast and your whole body shock causing the horrible pain to grow even more unbearable. You could see a light blush coat his face from the contact. He held both of hands to his mouth, eyes smiling. He was mumbling something into his hands. Tail wagging back forth like a dog.

From what you could catch, you think you heard the words willingly and touched from his insane ramblings.

Your soul beat wildly in your chest, a snarl growling out of your throat. “What the hell Jevil?! What you couldn’t use your magic to help me down?!” God, he just wanted to touch you didn’t he? As soon as you could move your arms again you were gonna tear him apart limb by limb!

Jevil tosses his hands off of his mouth. “UEE HE HE! THIS WAY WAS MORE FUN, FUN! A MISCHIEF-MISCHIEF!!” He spins around in a circle and kneels in between your legs, prompting you to scream internally. Of course, he wouldn’t decide to sit in literally any other place! He just had to be right between your legs...

“LETS BEGIN!” You sigh and hesitantly, hold your arm out to Jevil. The sooner you can get this over with the better. He places his finger and his thumb on opposite sides of one of the larger metal chunks.

“HE HE! PREPARE YOURSELF, MY GUARD! THIS IS GONNA HURT, HURT!” He tugs on the shard sending a torturous acute pain shooting out from the wound. You close your eyes tightly, turning your head away.

You can feel the sharp searing metal plop out of your arm causing an even worse surge of pain to flow through you. A feeble moan of pain works its way out of your quivering lips. “SHHHH… IT’S GOING TO BE ALRIGHT... JEVIL’S GOT YOU, YOU…” The fool said, with a softness that made you sick to your stomach. You open your eyes just to glare at the jester. ”Don't patronize me…” You mumble out through your clenched teeth.

“BWA HA HA.” Laughs out Jevil, as you can feel the pain in your arm slowly fade away. You turn your head to look at your arm. The area he pulled up the shard was healed up, as if it never had that bit of knife stuck in it at all. Huh, at least that idiot can heal wounds right… But the amount of the shards in your arm makes a wave of despair to flow over you.

So many to pull…

So much time having sit here like this with Jevil… 

“MY GUARD! WHICH ONE SHOULD I TAKE OUT NEXT, NEXT?” Jevil moves hand over to another of the large shards. “WOULD YOU LIKE THIS ONE, ONE REMOVED?” He pokes it, causing your face to wince from the sharp pain.

“Jevil... Could you do this faster?” You ask, glancing at the fool. Jevil looks at you through half-lidded eyes and smiles wider. “OH…? WHY?” He looks at you with a penetrating stare, awaiting your answer. There was a level of fear when it came to asking the jester questions. You never knew how he would respond to them.

You gulp down the dread growing in your throat, averting your gaze. “Well… I don’t wanna sit here for an hour. I have a lot of those deep shards and at the rate you're going it will take all night…”

“HE HE. OH, YES, YES I COULD!!” He states awfully cheerfully, closing his eyes. A stone forms in your gut. There was a sinister undertone to his voice… Was he angry at you?

“UEE HE HE... BUT-” His eyes spring open. His yellow pinprick eyes shifted to a dull shade of orange, with none of his playful energy shining inside.

“-WHERE’S THE FUN IN THAT?”

You break out in a cold sweat. That definitely is not gonna be good for you! You push at the boxes behind you in order to make some distance between you and the fool. But you can’t move your legs… You can’t even try to move away even if you wanted to. You wouldn't accomplish anything but hitting your head on the floor by moving the support behind you…

You were trapped…

Jevil cups his face in one of his hands, studying the terror evident on your face. “UEE HEE HEE. YOU ACT LIKE YOU’RE SO INNOCENT, INNOCENT!” He scoots himself closer to you, not taking his terrifying eyes off of your face. “HA HA. IS IT SO WRONG FOR ME TO WANT TO CHERISH THIS MOMENT, MY GUARD? AFTERALL-” Without looking he harshly grabs one of the chunks in your legs and starts twisting and turning it around into your flesh.

“-I BET YOU WOULDN'T ASK SEAM THAT QUESTION!”

What Seam? What does Seam have to do with this? You bite your lip to hold back your scream as your body wiggles and squirms underneath the fool.

Jevil’s smile grows on his face his eyes dilating. “HE HE! WHAT DOES HE HAVE THAT I DON’T?” He pushes the blade down, making it hit your bones, causing indescribable pain to flow through you. You gasp, tears dripping down your cheeks. Jevil wrenches it out of you pulling it to the side, causing it to cut into more of your tissues as it came out. You whine, closing your eyes and turning your head away.

...Is he jealous of Seam?... Is that why he’s doing this?

Was he already that possessive over you?

His hand roughly grabs your chin, turning your face back to him. “ENOUGH! LOOK, LOOK AT ME!” You open your eyes, staring into his now slightly-more scarlet pupils.

You freeze completely gazing into them, features morphing into shock.

You knew those eyes…

Oh god, you remember those eyes…

The fingers of his hand gripping your chin was caressing it, fondly.

He brings the blood-soaked shard up to his face with his other hand, giggling. “BWA HA HA! YOU DON’T NEED THAT CAT…” His tongue stuck out of his mouth and he slowly licks off the red liquid from the broken blade, savoring it with a look of desire in his eyes.

You didn’t care about the fact he was tasting your blood like it was some kind of delicious treat.

Hell, you didn’t even care about the burning sensation in your chin as he held it in his hand.

The glint in the metal…

The dripping of blood…

That tint in his eyes…

He cleans the shard completely, not letting even a drop of the precious substance go to waste. His fingers rub your skin harder, rough enough that you knew he was going to leave a bruise. He brings his face even closer to yours, gazing deep into your eyes. “I’D BE BETTER FRIEND THEN HIM, HIM.”

You shiver in terror looking into those horrible, horrible eyes… No. NO. You had to stop it. There had to be some way to snap Jevil out of this… You clench your teeth, you had an idea...

...But you were not going to like it.

He tilts his head, his eyelids covering half of his eyes. “YOU ONLY NEED ME, ME.” You wince as you force your elbow to bend, and…

You force your un-willing hand to grasp his cheek. A horrible shudder went down your body as soon as your hand made contact with his warm skin.

I hope this works...

His mouth drops open and the metal shard thuds on the ground. His eyes widen in surprise and fade back to yellow. “YOU… TOUCH, TOUCHED ME?" His eyes dart to your hand and he flushes a dark purple from seeing your your fingers on his skin. 

I-it worked? Did you forcing yourself to feel his skin work?!

Is… Jevil back to normal?

You start retracting your hand but the jester grips it with both of his hands, keeping its warmth on his cheeks. The fools ears turn downwards, his mouth turning into a frown. He rubs his face into your hand, eyes darkening. “...I’M SORRY, SORRY… I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME…”

Jevil is not back to normal. But he doesn't seem dangerous…At least not yet.

Your hand lightly tries to pull and tug away from him but, you couldn't try too hard without upsetting your embedded shards. Your mouth opens as you were going to ask him to let go of your hand but…

You didn’t want to repeat your mistake again…

The jester glances down looking at the gash he carved into your leg... “I DON’T UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THINGS...” He lets go of your hand, and he turns his head over searching the bleeding wound. “THIS IS ALL MY FAULT, FAULT.” He carefully strokes your cut skin, making your body tense up. The areas where he touched your injury started healing, pulling the muscles, tissue, and skin back together.

This version of the fool did seem quite stable… Or at least showed some remorse in hurting you. But it was so different to the happy go lucky jester you knew… Whatever. At least you can breathe without it hitting his face now.

As the sliced up flesh finally closes, Jevil’s face contorts into a look of deep though keeping his eyes on the spot he hurt you. “MY GUARD… MY LIGHTNER GAVE ME A PROMISE... A PROMISE THAT THEY WOULD RETURN ALONG WITH THE OTHERS AT OUR LAST MEETING.” The jester turns back to you, his eyes dull and dreary. Hopeless.

“...BUT THAT PROMISE HAS CRUMBLED AND CRACKED UNDER THE BOOTS OF TIME.” Jevil bends his head down, covering his face in his hands.

Sad, pitiful chuckles sound out of the poor fool. “WE’RE A MERE GAME TO THEM MY GUARD AND THEY DECIDED TO THROW THE BOARD AWAY, AWAY!”

Your eyes lower leaving the jesters sad state behind. It feels so genuine… The sadness didn’t feel like something acted out or like it was trying to elicit a reaction out of you… And he was grieving about his lightner... The one that created him... The one he exists for...

You could empathize...

“Jevil…” You softly whisper out. His hands trail off of his face and lifted his head back up to look at you. He had a hollow vacant smile crudely plastered on his face and tilts his head to the side. "WITHOUT THEM… I DIDN’T HAVE A REASON TO BE! HA HA. EVERYTHING WAS DULL, DULL. HE HE. I COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING!...” His eyes lower and gazing at the bloody dirt floor beneath him. "... NOT EVEN SEAM COULD SET ME FREE, FREE-”

Recognition dawned on your features. Seam said he had been distant and sad but... you didn’t think that it would come from something like this. You glance away from the fool. 

“I’m sorry you had to go throu-” “-BUT THEN CAME YOU…”

Your gaze travels back to the jester. He had shuffled slightly closer to you, and he was studying you with a softer look in his gaze. “I FIRST SAW YOU AROUND FOUR DAYS AGO… WONDERING THE CASTLE WITH THAT RUDINN… YOUR FACE TRAPPED INSIDE THE PAGES OF THAT BOOK, GLARING AT ANY DARKNER THAT DARED TO INTERRUPT YOU…” His fake disturbed grin closes, a small heartfelt smile gracing his lips in its place. “...YOU ACT SO MUCH LIKE MY LIGHTNER DID…” 

Your eyes widen and mouth falls open. You remind him of his lightner… That explains… a lot. If someone here reminded you of your lightner… You don’t know what you’d do. 

The Joker’s hands reach up to caress his own face, with a chuckle emanating from his throat. “I FELT, FELT SOMETHING…” His smile opens up, making a more standard jevil smile. “I WAS CREATED TO MAKE MY LIGHTNER HAPPY. MAKE THERE FACE LIGHT UP WITH JOY AND HERE THEM GIGGLE FROM MY SILLY JOKES…” A pinkish hue fades into his yellow eyes. “...I FELT THAT SAME DEVOTION TOWARDS YOU. YOU!!”

A single drop of sweat poured down your face as you felt your body stiffen up. You slightly shake. At the rate, his confession to you was going… He was going to admit his feelings to you, wasn’t he? Oh god, was he gonna ask you if you liked him back?!

While you are immobile.

In a tent that no other darkner would know that you were in.

With a psychotic love-struck jester…

You were going to become one of those “missing darkner cases” that the kingdom was going to theorize about for years to come.

...Unless you can distract him from saying it.

You glance over at your wounds. “Jevil…I’m flattered really…” You move your eyes back over at Jevil, and put on the best puppy-dog eyes you could muster. “...But the pain is making it hard to keep my attention on you. Umm… Could you help me get these out again?”

Jevil’s tail stands straight on its ends, eyes dilating, “YOU WANT, WANT MY HELP? EVEN AFTER I…” His face suddenly falls and he shakes his head. “NO, NO…NOT NOW MY GUARD, I NEED TO TELL YOU…” Your dreams of ever getting out of here get crushed by those words.

“WHEN WE FINALLY MEET FACE TO FACE…SOMETHING NEW WAS AWOKEN IN ME. EMOTIONS AND WANTS THAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND…” The fools smile falls, and he moves ever closer to you. “YOU'RE ALL THAT'S IN MY HEAD, HEAD! INFECTING MY THOUGHTS!... I DON’T KNOW HOW TO STOP IT.” He lunges forward, placing his hands on the boxes behind you, his face inches from yours.

His eyes held distress and confusion, with tears brewing in his eyes. “WHY? WHY DO I FEEL BLISS EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT ME? WHY DO I NEED TO LEARN EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU? WHY DO I CRAVE TO FEEL YOU WRAPPED AROUND MY ARMS AGAIN? WHY?”

You were suffocating, you couldn’t breathe. The intensity in his eyes told you that he meant every word of what he said. You knew he loved you but… Hearing it in this detail with this level of emotion.

You felt like you were choking.

A tear slides down his cheek, and his eyes close shut. “IT HURTS… IT HURTS… IT HURTS… YOU BRING ME SO MUCH JOY BUT SO MUCH AGONY…” It petrified you how much he looked like he was in physical pain...

“WHY?... WHY?...PLEASE, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY?” His eyes spring open only blackness left inside, with a more serious disposition. “...WHY WON’T YOU SMILE AT ME?...”

The emptiness in his eyes bore into you like a priest trying to get you to confess your sins. But what could you say to a question like that?

The bile rising in your throat was a sharp contrast to the dryness of your mouth. You couldn't take your eyes off of the terrifying nothingness now in his eyes. He looked lifeless. He looked dead.

The jester's eyes soften, his dark pupils returning in his gaze. “YOU’RE SO SCARED, SCARED…” One of Jevil’s hands rest on the top of your head and starts stroking his fingers through your hair. The fools face forms a sad smile. “I’M SCARED, SCARED TOO…”

The fingers on your scalp burned your skin every time they touched it, drawing out a whimper from you. You wince away from his touch, causing the jester to chuckle darkly. “HE HE... THIS IS NICE, NICE. SO SOFT, SOFT.” His other hand cups your cheek. His thumb draws scorching circles across your skin.

You are shaking like you are freezing to death. You close your eyes trying to bite back the bitter memories popping up in your head. The fighting, the loving, the protecting…

It all stung. Just a painful reminder of how it ended…

The tears start pouring freely down your face, “I’m sorry…” Whispers it way out of your throat.

It's all your fault…

You shouldn’t have been the one who lived…

The fools arms wrap around your waist, as his body pressed tightly against yours. His head nuzzles into your neck, making you bawl even harder.

They used to hug you just like that...

The fools face rubs itself up and down your neck. He sniffs around your neck, taking in your scent. “NU-HA… HOLDING YOU THIS CLOSE...“ He muttered, breathing faster. Jevil aims his face at the crook of your neck snuggling himself into it. Your eyes open wide, your trembling mouth whimpering.

“...I THINK I UNDERSTAND…YES, YES! I FINALLY UNDERSTAND!!” The jester's voice shined out an excitement rising inside of him. The fool’s tail curls up behind him, forming the shape of a heart. He lifts his head off of your neck, his pinprick eyes shining a bright pink right into your crying features. He had an overjoyed sincere smile hugging his face. Your soul felt like it was splitting in half just looking at it. This is all just too much...

“UEE HE HE!! HOW DIDN’T I SEE IT BEFORE? IT’S SUCH A SIMPLE CHAOS.” his grip around your waist, went higher up your body as the jester floated up in the air so he was eye level with you. He rubs his forehead into your’s and stares deep into your eyes. “I LOVE, LOVE YOU!!! BWA HA HA!! YOU MAKE ME FREE, FREE!! EVEN THOUGH YOU FEEL THE OPPOSITE TOWARDS ME!!” You were frozen unable to react to anything happening around you as if you were denying any of it was happening.

His face removes itself from yours, his pinprick eyes shrinking. “OH! BUSY, BUSY I’LL BE! TOMORROW, TOMORROW WE WILL AGAIN, MEET!” He moves his chin next to your forehead. “FOR NOW THOUGH, I PROMISE YOU…” He presses his lips onto your forehead. You shriek, all of your wounds open up as you start flailing them uncontrollably.

Your movements get weaker and weaker as the world starts dimming around you. All of your limbs fall to the floor as the world blurs. Your eyes close as your mind goes unconscious, you weren’t even strong enough to put up a fight this time. Jevil removes his lips from your skin and holds up your collapsing head with his hand.

“YOU SOON WILL FEEL THE SAME!!”


	8. Dreams of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hardest part of leaving a life behind are the memories that won't let you go.

You slowly wake up. 

The air around you was crisp and clear. A warmness was covering your body like a blanket as you rested on the ground. The quiet atmosphere and the gentle breeze flowing through your hair was a much nicer way to wake up then having to hear the nails on a chalkboard like the morning bustle of the castle. Although, you don’t remember your bed feeling this firm... 

You open your eyes. Your mouth drops open. I-is that a blue sky? You blink repeatedly, there's no way that's real… Right? The dark world’s sky was completely black, the only time you saw a sky that color was… 

No, there's no way…

You launch your upper body up, disbelief shining on your face. A dark green grass covered the terrain floor. The breeze wrestled the brown branches of the trees surrounding you. A smile starts growing on your face but you force it down. This looks just like the light world… But… You knew this can’t be the real thing…

The last place you were was...Oh.

Oh, god. Oh, god no...

Jevil kidnapped you and hugged you….

And kissed your forehead…

A wave of nausea flows throughout your body, and you throw your hands to your face, shaking. Oh my god! Oh my god! That happened! That actually happened! And he told you to your face how much he loved you and…

You tried to suck up the tears forming in your eyes and the whines emerging from your throat but you weren't strong enough to hide it. 

You feel so unclean, so dirty.

… So, violated.

You fall down on your knees, and start ripping at the grass on the ground until you reach the dirt under it. You grab a handful of dirt and harshly scrubbing your forehead with the earth. 

Filthy, Filthy, Filthy, Filthy...

Small drops of blood start tinting the dirt as you scrape off all the tainted skin, but you could still feel the fiery hot burn that his lips left. Hot tears pour down your face, but you cover them with your hands.

You were asleep, weren't you? This pleasant looking light world was just your mind trying to give you some solace before you wake up to him…

...But if this was just a dream why did the grass underneath you feel so real? 

“Follow me…” Whispers the wind, with a familiar soft soothing tone. That sounded just like… Your hands slowly leave your face, and you glance around mystified. 

Your eyes are drawn to a path that was not their before. The ground beneath it was coated in golden flowers, the sight of them leaving a bittersweet taste in your mouth. The trail got darker and darker as it went along, but a shining beam of light stood strong far into the blackness, almost seeming to tease you with its mysteriousness.

“Follow me…” It repeats, echoing from inside the golden lain trail. If… That voice is who you think it is… You wipe the tears off your face a glimmer of determination shimming in your drying eyes, You had to follow that whisper. You don’t care if this is a dream or not… If there was even a chance of seeing their adorable face again… You were going to take it. 

You clench one of the trees nearby, feeling the rough texture of the bark on your hands. You hoist yourself off of the ground and start walking into the golden path. The flowers cushioned your feet as you walked through the path. The distinct scent of butterscotch tickled the path, making your throat tighten from its familiar smell. The path was eaten up by the darkness as you continued forward, making the shining light in front of you the only thing you could see.

“Follow me…” Their lovely voice urged, sounding much closer than before. Just the sound of their voice made a sharp pang of guilt bounce through your soul. Staring at the light, you swear you could see something inside of it. You squint, studying the sunbeam. The harsh lighting made it hard to see any distinct shapes or colors but you definitely can see movement in the sun ray. 

Your mouth went ajar, soul skipping a beat. Was that… Them? Was that really them?!

Your movements quicken, becoming more frantic, more desperate, until you’re sprinting towards the light. You stagger tripping on an unseen stray branch underneath you, but you start running immediately afterward. Flashes of memories pour over you like a cold shower. 

You reading to them to help them sleep, that happy glimmer in their eyes whenever they saw you, the scuffle of their hair underneath your fingertips... 

Those memories stab at your soul, leaving the regret simmering in your mind.

You wish that they were still with you… That day should have never happened…

And it was your fault that it did. 

The light grows near you and you can make out a small silhouette inside of it. Your lower lip quivered, tears threatening to form in your eyes.

You slow down, crawling to a walk as you approach them, their cute little eyes staring happily at you. You stop a couple feet away from them, tears delicately sliding down your cheeks, your eyes wide with your hands covering your mouth. You can’t believe it… It really is them.

“Thank you...” They said, tilting their head to the side with a sincere smile forming on their features. 

That grin broke the last of your composure. You kneel to the ground in front of them, sobbing into your hands. “I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! I-I didn’t mean… I didn’t want to-” Your speech was cut off by their small hands patting the top of your head.

“Don’t worry… I forgive you…” Comforted them.

You flinch away from their touch, moving your head up further in the air. “I don’t deserve your mercy…” Their small arms envelop you just below your shoulders and they rest their head against your shoulders. You cry harder, overwhelmed with the loving sensation. You hesitantly wrap your arms around their torso. It feels so much like the real thing… 

“Please... don’t blame yourself anymore…” They leaned their head into yours, snuggling into the side. “I want you to be happy…” You hug them tighter, choking back a sob.

“How am I supposed to be happy when you aren't there with me?” They pull their head back, looking into your face. 

They remove their arms from your hug and press down on your chest, right where your soul was. “When you wake up… Don’t forget…” Your hold on them drops as their body starts tearing itself into shreds. The pieces fly off in the wind, Your eyes widen in fear and you cry out in despair.

“NO! You can’t leave me… You can’t leave me again!” 

Their eyes sadly soften at you, their head the only bit of them still intact. The rest of their body floats off bit by bit but they whisper out one last thing before they finally leave...

“I’m with you in the dark…”

You reach out to touch them as the last shard of them gets carried away by the wind. You stare at the spot they once were, gulping down your sorrow… “Goodbye… My lightner…” You say as the world fades around you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The surface underneath you was soft and comfy when you awoke, a warm blanket coating your body. The near dead silence of wherever you where you sent shivers of fear throughout your body. Jevil. You didn't want to open your eyes out of fear of seeing him again..You didn't want to be here. You didn’t know where you were but you didn’t want to be here. Jevil was probably gonna cuddle up against you any moment now... 

You wanted to go back… You were so happy... Holding them again… Gifting you forgiveness you couldn't except.

You already missed them again…

Their final words I’m with you in the dark, stuck in your head like a catchy song. They said they were with you still… A half-smile forms on your face just thinking of it. It was comforting to think that they were still around. Watching over you like you once did to them. Even, if your interaction was just a dream… You can’t help feeling that it was something so much more.

A loud sound penetrates your ears, grating on them in a familiar fashion that made your heart scream out of happiness. That sounded just like Rudinn's snore! Your eyes catapult open. You thrust your upper body up and see the light from the hallway shining through the Rudinn shaped-hole in your door, illuminating the room around you. The corners of your mouth rise up just looking at it. 

You turn your gaze over to the source of the snoring. That gem pile, that green serpent body lying awkwardly on top of them. Your eyes fill with relief and happiness, your smile stretching even further on your face. 

Rudinn! Oh, you thought you would never see him again. You have never felt happier hearing that awful grating sound coming from his mouth! 

You grab the blanket on top of you and scrunch it up to your mouth as you scream into it. You let go of the blanket, letting it drop back down to the bed. You sigh staring down at your bed. Oh, thank god Jevil let me go! But wait…

Your eyebrows rise, your eyes narrowing. Why did he let you go? Especially after he found out his feelings towards you. He could have taken you anywhere he wanted… A shudder crawls up your spine. He could have done anything he wanted to you…

But he brings you back to your own room. And… You can’t feel any of those knife shards stuck in you anymore so he must have healed those too...

Your face falls. He’s planning something… But when is he not? It's like he's always one step ahead of you… Making sure that you do exactly what he wants when he wants it…

Whatever, You're just happy that your away from him right now… It's nice to feel an inkling of security and comfort when Jevil’s around you have no clue what he's gonna do to you … And after what he did to you last night...

Jevil's a safety hazard.

You yawn, stretching out your arms above you. You should try to stop thinking about him. He probably would love it to know how much your thoughts revolve around him. Negative thoughts but thoughts nonetheless. 

You glance back over to Rudinn, who was fast asleep snoring his lungs out. Perhaps, you could wake him up? You were intending on telling him everything that has happened to you…

You glance up at the clock and squint at it trying to make out the time but the light coming from the Rudinn-shaped hole in the door isn't bright enough to make out any of the features of the clocks face. Grumbling, you look over to your nightstand to grab your flashlight, but you pause before you touch it. Underneath the flashlight, Was an envelope…

“Ugghhhh…..” Falls out of your mouth as a hand comes up to rub your temples. Of course. Of course! ...Goddamnit Jevil! 

What if you just ignored it? You could say that you didn’t notice it or…

Stop kidding yourself, (Y/N)! You were gonna have to read it… Stop beating around the bush. 

Jevil’s too dangerous not to... 

You pick up the flashlight and place it next to the letter on the nightstand. You grab the envelope, frown deepening staring at it. My guard was not written on the packaging nooo… The letter was instead addressed to my world… Your toes curl up as your lips purse. You never thought you'd miss seeing him call you my guard...

You rip the flap and shove your hand inside. You pull out the letter and rest the envelope next to you. You grumble and hold the idiots letter up to read.

TO MY ONE AND ONLY, MY (Y/N)

UEE HE HE! SO MANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED, TRUTHS REVEALED. 

YOU ARE SUCH CHAOS, CHAOS! I CAN’T PREDICT YOU!!

NO BACKSTAGE! NOT WHAT I PLANNED! BUT I ENJOYED IT SO MUCH I’LL GIVE YOU YOUR STUFF BACK.

YOUR BOOK AND BAG ARE HERE PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK IN YOUR NIGHTSTAND! 

...AND LET ME SAY YOUR JOURNAL WAS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ. YOU WRITE THROUGH POEMS... CODES. I COULDN'T DECIPHER. 

HA HA HA! YOU’RE SO EXCITING...I CAN’T TAKE IT! YOUR MAKING LEARNING ABOUT YOU BE SUCH A FUN CHALLENGE!

THIS IS HARDLY THE END, JUST THE BEGINNING! IN THIS NEW GAME IT'S YOUR LOVE I’LL BE WINNING. 

I CAN DO ANYTHING! SPADES! DIAMONDS! CLUBS! I’LL CAN DO ANYTHING TO WIN OVER YOUR HEART!

YOU MAKE ME FREE, FREE! SO LET'S BE FREE TOGETHER!

UEE HEE HEE!! LET’S GO TO CASTLETOWN, FOR OUR FIRST DATE, DATE!

OH! BUT WAIT... YOUR SCHEDULE SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO PATROL THE CASTLE TODAY! 

WHAT A PITY. A REAL BOTHER! BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT NO LONGER!

I CLEARED IT ALL UP, THEY DON'T HIDE THEIR FILES WELL... SO THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR WAY NOW!

TWO O’CLOCK, MY WORLD! THAT'S WHEN I’LL BE HERE TO WHISK YOU AWAY!

HE HE HE! SO LONELY, LONELY, I WAS... BUT LO, YOUR BEAUTY IS JOYING IN MY HEART!

A MARVELOUS FUN IS ABOUT TO BREAK FREE!!!

I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU! YOU CAN’T REFUSE!

AND ONE DAY, YOU’LL BE JUST AS INFATUATED AS ME !!

LOVE, YOUR NEW BOYFRIEND, JEVIL.

You reread the last part of the letter multiple times, blinking rapidly at the words as if they would just disappear the next time you read it. 

No. 

You read that. 

That’s something he wrote intentionally. 

That's something he’s actually calling himself. 

You wanted to drive a rusty spoon directly into your eyeballs as punishment for them allowing you to process that. You smile at the paper, all sanity leaving your mind. 

This is fine… This is perfectly fine… 

Why not?... Boyfriend?! Sure… It's not like we've ONLY KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR THREE DAYS!!

You rip the horrible note in half, seething, grinding your teeth. Your fists are clenched so tightly that your knuckles go white.

You hold up one of the broken haves of the latter to your mouth and bite down on the paper. You rip at the note with your teeth, with cold-blooded murder in your eyes. You spit out the clump of paper out of your mouth onto the floor, with your nose wrinkling in disgust. 

You hate him. You hate him so much. You feel no guilt about your emotions either. This guy is so entitled… What right does he have to call himself your boyfriend?! Next thing you know he's gonna show up with a marriage contract and force you to sign it! You toss the papers in your hands on the floor, and cuddle your blankets to your chest, panic combing over your face. 

You need to talk to Seam. You need his support more than ever… While talking Rudinn might help a little bit... Seam knows Jevil. He would understand what you're going through better... Although you did feel bad about prioritizing Seams comfort over Rudinns. 

You grab the flashlight and flick the switch, causing the blub to turn on. You point the light at the clock on the wall finally being able to see the hands showing that it was four-thirty. 

You nibble on your lower lip. Did you really want to wake up Seam this early to talk about Jevil’s behavior? It would be rude to interrupt his slumber, wouldn't it? 

Plus, if Jevil finds out about your little meetings with Seam… Those red eyes flash in your head, making you cringe back. You could almost feel him twisting the metal into your flesh again. If he did that to you just because you looked at Seam in a pleasant manner…

What the hell would he do if he found out you were friends with him? 

Your eyes narrow, and you tighten your grip on the blanket. That gives you even more of a reason to tell him. He is the court magician. If there was anyone could hold their own against Jevil... It would be him. He needs to know what's going on.

If anything happens... He may be the only one able to stop him. 

You let go of your blankets and step out of your bed, stepping on both of the halves of the Jevil’s note. Glancing downwards, you bend over and you pick up both of them off of the ground. It might be a good idea to take these with you… Even if it has a bite taken out of it. It could give Seam a better idea of the gravity of your situation.

You grip them firmly in your hands. And move towards the door, not caring to brush your hair, teeth or anything else you normally do when you wake up. You grip the doorknob, opening the door, then walking through it. You shut the door behind you, realizing that locking the door would be utterly useless. Any darkner could grab the doorknob from the other side and unlock it because of the massive hole in the door. You frown, a groan escaping your mouth. You really did need to get someone to fix that...

You turn away from the door, gripping Jevil’s letter in your hand and start heading towards the stairs. You walk up the steps, grateful that you lived only a floor away from Seam… You soon reached the top of the stairs and you amble away, Focusing your attention on the door with every suit plastered in front of it. You stand in front of the door, glancing around you. You hold your fist up to the door and nervously gulp. You bring your clenched up hand on the door knocking softly on the black wooden surface. 

You place your ear next to the door, trying to hear any possible movement inside the room. After a couple seconds of silence you knock on the door once again, but harder. You can hear the shuffling of blankets and a loud yawn from the other side of the door. A click sounds out from Seams room. “A visitor at this hour…?” Your mouth curls up into a smile from hearing his gentle voice. It's like music to your ears. You remove your face from the door, awkwardly shifting the two halves of the note in your hand. 

Footsteps echo closer to the door until the door is eased open by Seam. He was wearing turquoise striped pajamas with a nightcap to match and was rubbing the sleepiness out of one of his eyes, his ears folded down. The tiredness on his face made you feel a stab of guilt from waking him up so early…The cat opens his mouth wide, a yawn emerging from inside of it.

“Hey Seam…” You say in the most awkward way possible. The cat's ears perk up, his orange button eyes widening. “(Y/N)?” His eyes shine with relief, and he relaxes his body. “Oh thank goodness… You're all right.” You tilt your head, raising an eyebrow at the cat. Did he already know about what happened last night? 

“Oh.” Seam steps away from the doorway, holding the door open, gesturing inside with his paw. “Please do come in. I’m sure we have much to discuss.” You wonder into his abode, glancing around. It's only been around a day since you were last in here but it feels like it's been weeks. 

You take a deep breath, taking in the room's aroma of herbs and spices. Your eyes soften, it's amazing how much you loved this place after only visiting it once before. 

You can hear the door close behind you. “Please take a seat. I would make you some tea… But I've learned through experience that early mornings and magic do not mix.” You step into the living area, and your face sprouts into the hugest grin when you see the love of your life, Seam's couch. You place the bits of the broken on the coffee table before diving into its sea of comfort. 

You snuggle into it, feeling it's elegant caring embrace enraptured you. Its as if your being held by god themself. As if your Royalty laying on the finest bed in the kingdom. You nuzzle your face into its delightful cushions, giggling. “I missed you so much…” 

“Ha ha ha… What? You miss my furniture but not me?” Seam laughs, a playfulness growing in his tired voice. You raise your head off of the furniture, lowering your eyes away from the cat sitting in the chair in front of you.

“Yes… I missed you a lot as well...” Your soul beats faster, as soon as you say it, an almost giddy feeling spreading over you. It's been a while since you've been able to admit something like that… 

“How sweet of you… Although, I don’t think that is the only reason for your early visitation.” You rest your arms on the table, tapping it with one of your fingers. Unwilling to meet his gaze.

"God, I don't even know where to start…” You glance over at the torn up note on the table and slide it over to him.

“I think it would be best if you would read this letter Jevil gave me…” Seam’s eyes shimmer with curiosity, his mouth agape. “Eh…?” He picks up both the halves, he flips one of them over to the other side and starts trailing his eyes over the words. 

You sheepishly scratch the back of your head, staring at the wall behind the cat. “Umm…Sorry! After reading it I got so angry that I ripped it half.” Your leg twitches restlessly underneath the table, as you face the wall to the left of you, lowering your head. “...That's also why the bite marks there.” You squeak out, a light blush going over your face. 

The magicians face cycled through so many emotions, as he was reading, Worry, surprise, concern, shock, disappointment and a speckle of rage darted in an out of his eyes. His ears fold flat against his head. “Oh Jevil...” He shakes his head. “What are you doing?” 

You stare down at your hands, nervously twiddling your fingers. “Yeah… “ The doll puts the paper down on the table and leans over it, gazing at you concerned.

“You don't share his enthusiasm … Do you?” You nod your head, holding it up with your hands. You nervously massage your face with your fingers, a groan emerging from your lips. 

The purple cat sighs, moving back to sit up straight in his chair. “ That was an eye-opener... Shocking for sure.” He pulls back up one half of the letter, squinting at it. “I’ve never seen Jevil write another darkner a letter before.” He tilts his head, mouth slightly agape. 

“He hardly ever spoke to anyone besides me. Let alone wrote…Then again, he scarcely acknowledges me now.” He places the love note back down and stares at it with a worried twinkle in his eyes. He looks at you with an inquiring gaze. “Do you perhaps have any other information you would be… Comfortable giving?” 

Your hands grip your face harshly, digging into your skin. Your body shivers and quakes, under the old man’s gentle button eyes. This is it. This is the moment you come clean. You take a deep breath, your soul beating rapidly. 

Come on, (Y/N)! If you can tell him you missed him, You can tell him anything!

You grit your teeth. A determination flows through you. You look into his orange eyes. “Jevil...Told me why he was so unhappy before…” You clear your throat, feeling a cold sweat drop fall down your face. “The last bit of trust he had that... The lightners would return… Died.” 

Seam smiles sadly.”...I see.” His shoulders relax behind him, as he turns his vision upwards. “It has been a while, hasn’t it…? We're all growing more anxious as the clock ticks by…” The cat's smile falls, eyes drooping.”Still… If that was it… Then I should have been able to help him...”

Your eyes lower back down, sadness stabbing you from hearing regret fill his voice. “Don’t blame yourself. The way Jevil describe his sorrow sounded like something you couldn't have solved...” You tighten one of your hands into a fist and lightly thump the table.

“He said he couldn’t feel anything at all but…” You scratch the top of your head. “He felt something again… After he… saw me.” You were struggling to say the words, it cut a bit too deep for your liking. 

“He said... I reminded him of... his lightener…” Empathy panged your heart.

You could understand that crushing feeling of despair of not being able to serve your lightner. That same isolation and hopelessness that you have felt for years. You grew rather accustomed to it, drowning yourself in novels and escapism to cope with the emptiness. Turning everyone else away from you out of fear that you would grow attached. But... 

Just seeing your lightner in that dream, being able to hold them just one last time and hearing them say they forgive you…

Needless to say, you could understand Jevil’s obsession with you. But… God, you didn't like it...

Seam's eyebrows raise, bewilderment bursting from his eyes. “His lightner…?” The cat strokes his chin with his palm, looking you over. A shimmer of understanding fills his gaze. “Why yes… You do have a similar aura to them-” He pauses mid-sentence. His eyes widen, going a shade darker. His mouth falls open and his body stiffens.“-Oh no…” His words come out as a small shaky whisper. 

Your eyes widen, face going pale as a ghost. 

Seam... one of the most powerful dakners in the kingdom… 

...Was terrified by idea of Jevil seeing you akin his lightner. 

That can’t be good. 

“I’m so dead…” You mutter out shaking your head. That hope you held in your heart of being able to fix this died with that expression. 

Seam waves off your statement, a tense smile etched on his features. “Ha ha ha… Don’t worry. It’s just that-” Seam glances over to the side. “-Jevil didn’t have the... Healthiest relationship with his lightner and...” He aims his vision at you, an indiscernible emotion bursting out of his button eyes. “Ha ha ha...Well, you don't need to know about THAT.” He gestures his paw at you.” To keep it brief… This madness you find yourself in is worse than I previously assumed.”

Your frown deepens, a cold sweat going down your face. “What don’t I need to know about?” Just knowing that Seam was omitting information… Oh, you're worse than dead aren't you?

The cat takes his nightcap off his head, resting it on the table, keeping that mysterious look on his face. “As they say… Ignorance is bliss, (Y/N).” He reaches his paw over to one of his ears and scratches behind it. “Speaking of ignorance, I couldn’t help but notice that you disappeared after the show… I asked around but no soul had information on your whereabouts.” Seams chair squeaks as he scoots in closer to the table, an intrigued shine in his gaze.

“Judging by that strange expression Jevil gave you during our little show and the information you've told me…” He entangles his fingers together and rests his chin on top of them. “A major event must have occurred between you two.” He tilts his head, eyes softening at you. “ It wasn't pretty was it…?”

Your eyes lower. If there was any moral you could learn from last night it was ignorance was bliss… You rub your shoulders with your arms shivering, Seams room suddenly felt a lot colder than before. You pick up the clubs shaped throw pillow on the sofa and hug it to your stomach. You take a deep breath and grit your teeth. Just spit it out (Y/N)! “Jevil wanted to play a simple numbers game with me.”

The silence that filled the room was deafening, Seam’s eyes fill up with concern and horror. He laid his arms down on the table, as he leaned slightly closer. “He fought you…?” His eyelids lower bursting with sympathy and disappointment. “You poor… poor darkner… No ordinary guard should be subjected to all that power. “

You snuggle the pillow closer and glance away from the doll. “I think he went easy on me… The fighting wasn’t the worst part by far...” Your body trembles more violently. “I did get badly damaged but I don’t think he intended it. It was more of an accident… but in the end, I had broken metal shards embedded in my skin.” You peek back at Seam whose ears were perked up listening intently to your words. “He tried to help me with my wounds and…” Your body tightens, throat clenching making it much harder to speak.   


“He got very jealous of you… Violently jealous of you....B-because I looked at you, with a happyish expression…” You wince just remembering the incident, tears forming in your eyes. “H-he…made the pain worse-... “ You stare down at the spade-shaped pillow, unable to look anywhere else. “He asked me w-why I couldn’t look at him like that…”

“Oh dear…” Whispers out the cat, a clear softness emitting from his tone. A tissue levitates to your face dabbing off the falling tears. “There, there... It's going to be alright… He can’t hurt you here… “ You sniffle, gripping the pillow so tightly that stuffing starts to pour out one of the sides. 

“I-I hate him… I hate him s-so much...” You sob your tears gushing out of your puffy eyes. You shove the pillow into your face wailing into it. You hated how much you were crying over this but telling someone what happened makes so much more... real. Before you could suppress it but… By confessing to Seam you had to confront it. 

...And you couldn’t handle it.

Your head tilts up, just enough that you can speak without your words being muffled. “H-He’s in love with me… Madly in love with me and I-I don’t know what to do about it… and I have a feeling that if I don’t love him back… He’s going to h-hurt someone or even...” You couldn’t finish your sentence before another flood of tears hit your face, making you retreat back to the comfort of the pillow. 

A weight appears on your back, fuzzy and warm. You stop breathing, body turning to stone, a feeling of betrayal crossing your entire being.

W-was Seam… hugging you?

You slowly remove the pillow from your face and twist your head over to your back, praying to some divine being that your assumption is not true. A brown fuzzy blanket greets your gaze. You relax, relief filling up your face, tears still slipping down your features. 

You can’t believe you would even think Seam would betray your trust like that…

Jevil really has you paranoid… Doesn't he? 

“(Y/N) you are in quite the pickle.” You glance over at Seam, scratching one of his claws against the hard wooden surface of the table. “Jevil is a funny little man. I don’t believe he would take to kindly to being told to stay away... Considering his emotions towards you.” He taps the ends of paws together, deep in thought... “...There's no easy solution for this puzzle.” He frowns, looking downward. “I’m sorry. My cotton can’t come up with any ideas."

You let go of the ruined pillow letting it and its stuffing fall to the ground. You grab at the edge of the blanket and wrap the cloth around yourself, red puffy eyes starting to dry. There was this hopelessness gripping your chest from his words. He can’t help you nearly as much as you wish he could.

However, you also felt a great deal of gratitude towards the old cat. “Thank you, Seam…” You snuggle your face into the warm soft texture. “ Just being able to talk to you helps…” You did feel a little better about your situation. Even if Seam can’t solve it for you. Knowing that you can talk to him and have him listen to your problems brought a smile to your face. 

It’s kind of funny really. You’ve gone from actively avoiding conversation and pushing away everyone you meet to sitting in another darkners house and… talking about your problems to them… And being happy telling them… 

If the you from three days ago saw you now… Would they believe how much you've changed? You have that drive… that determination back in your soul…

You never thought that… You would ever get this far. 

Your lightners words speak up from inside your mind. “I want you to be happy…” Well, my lightner… 

I’m happy...

At least…

When he isn’t around...

You remove your face from the comfort of the blanket smiling sincerely at the old man. Seam laughs, relaxing his worried posture, “Ha ha ha… You are a strange one aren't you?” An eerily familiar chiming sounds around the room. You squint your eyes trying to remember where you've heard it before. Your eyes widen, Oh yeah that’s the sound of Seam’s grandfather clock. Seams eyebrows raise. “It’s seven o’clock, already?” He scoots his chair away from the table and stands up. 

Wait, seven o’clock…. Your eyes narrow at the cat. “Don’t grandfather clocks only toll when its twelve?”

Seam wags one of his fingers back and forth, “You shouldn't limit what you believe things can and cannot do." He playfully winks at you. “Experiencing the unexpected should be expected.” He starts walking away from the table, leaving you there with a nonplussed look on your face. 

You can see where Jevil gets his weirdness from…

You turn over to the kitchen, Seam was picking up the jars of tea leaves with his magic, putting them to his face and sniffing them. He had a look of concentration on his face, which you thought was rather strange for just smelling some leaves.“Are you gonna make some tea..?” You question, a yawn coming out of your mouth. A wave of sleepiness coming over your being. 

Crying is so exhausting...

The doll peeks over at you mid-sniff of the dark-candy labeled jar. “ Yes and no.” He lowers the jar and levitates the lid back on his magic screwing it tightly.“I’m not making any ordinary tea... I’m brewing up a special recipe for you.” He levitates the next jar, labeled rose leaves. “ It should help calm your nerves.” He unscrews the lid, lifting the jar up and taking in the scent of the leaves. 

One of your eyebrows raise, a confusion befalling your features “Why are you smelling them?” You didn’t think tea would have an expiration date or anything... He places the jar back down, Floating the lid back on top and fastening it. He taps his chin, studying the tea leave collection in front of him. “This is a very delicate process. Everything has to be perfect for the brew to work.”

You were having a hard time keeping your eyes open, you yawn once again, raising your hand to your lips. The warmness of the blanket, the palpable greatness of the couch and your trust with Seam was making it much more difficult to keep your eyes open then you'd care to admit. You look downwards at the ground “Umm… Seam can I take a small nap?

The cat's eyes wander over to you, a light smile forming on his lips. “Ha ha ha… Be my guest.” Your face lights up, as you rub one of your swollen eyes. “Thanks… “ 

The dolls gaze trails downwards, and he tugs at his striped pajamas.”Ha ha ha… It gives me time to get ready for the day as well.” You lay down on Seam's godly sofa, pulling the blanket Seam gave you over your body. You close your eyes but you see the lighting on the ceiling burning on your eyelids. 

You open your eyes, glaring at the illumination above you. You grumble and tuck your head under the covers, hiding away from the light like a vampire.

Your back is massaged by the comforting embrace of the sofa, it’s gentle touch assuring you that everything was going to be ok. Your body relaxes and you start drifting off to sleep…You are abruptly stopped as you are drifting up, anxiety stabbing into you like sharp knives. You want to scream. Of course, this would happen to you...

“CHAOS, CHAOS.”


	9. What Your Lightner Would Have Wanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doing what's right had never been your forte But maybe you could give it one last shot.

A reminder of a time gone by flashes in your mind.

The twinkle in your lightners eyes as you weaved them an intricate tale, resting on their old dirty bed. They were always enamored by the little stories you would tell them…

Pirates, cowboys, princesses… No matter the subject matter. The child would always be awestruck at the story holding onto every word. You like to think that you gave them hope with those stories. A reassurance that things could finally get better. Something that even you didn’t have.

There was always this ritual between the two of you. You would bring the story to a close, always making sure it had a happy ending. You would lift yourself off of their bed, and stand on the freezing floor beneath you. Their little hand would come out of the thin torn up bedspread and tug on your sleeve.

“(Y/N), can you check my closet for vampires?” A hint of a tremble lingering in their voice. You’d snicker, “What again?” Teasing the cute lightner. They would nod their head, clutching the fabric closer to themselves for comfort.

You would always go up to that dusty rotting wood doors of the closet and open it, stepping inside. You’d gaze at the cold molded concrete walls, and move your eyes around the small area. You’d step back out of the closet, shutting the door behind you. Your lightner looked at you with worry painted on their face, blanket all the way up to their cheeks. You’d shake your head, putting on a confident reassuring smile.

“No vampires in there, my lightner.” Your lightner lowered the blankets. “Are you sure?” Glancing at the old rotting doors but quickly looking away. You would nod your head, walking up to their bed and tucking them back in. “Don’t worry.” Your fingers would comb through their hair, relaxing the poor child. Their anxiety would fade from their face at the touch of your hand, eyes gently closing. “Get some sleep, my child.”

You’d remove your hand from their scalp, and place a tender kiss on their forehead.

“I love you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The irony of your current situation was not lost on you. You laying underneath the covers petrified of someone you first mistook as a vampire. But unlike the vampire that frightened your lighter… this one was real.

The heavenly embrace of the couch betrayed you with its comfort. The brown blanket thrown on top of you was your only defense from the jester seeing you. You tried to calm your shacking form, terrified that it would only make it easier for the jester to spot you.

“SEVEN AM AND STILL WEARING YOUR PJ’S, SEAM. UEE HEE HEE! WHAT? ARE YOU PLANNING ON TAKING A CAT NAP? HEE HEE HEE!”

You hope that the laugh echoing throughout the room was just your imagination or maybe you had fallen asleep and this was just a nightmare but you knew that life wouldn’t be that kind to you.

“Welcome back, Jevil. What’s with the sudden appearance? You don’t seem to keen on being cooped up here anymore.” Seam’s voice had a calm relaxing tone to it that completely contradicted your reaction to the bombastic fool’s arrival.

The center of your palms oozes out blood from your nails clawing into them. Your eyes had small tears forming in them, as you bit your lip, causing a metallic taste to fill up your mouth.

“WELL, WELL! I REQUIRE OUR OVEN FOR A BIT OF BAKING! THE KITCHEN STAFF WOULDN’T LET ME USE THERES AFTER WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME...”

Jevil’s baking something… Your throat tightens, despair overtaking you. How long does it take to bake something? An hour, two hours. That is most certainly enough time for him to find you.

“Trying to get back into your old hobbies, eh Jevil? What motivated you to pick back up the backing sheet?”

It made you restless enough not being able to see anything besides the brown blanket covering your entire form. But to have Seam sit there and ask questions instead of getting Jevil to hightail it out of their room made you want to strangle him.

“ HA HA HA! IT’S THE TIME FOR THIS SKILL TO ENTER STAGE RIGHT AND PREFORM AGAIN.”

There was a joyful undertone to his vocal cords. Unbounded happiness that chilled you to the core. You could something sand like pouring out. No doubt probably being part of whatever he was baking. Why would he be so cheerful about this? You could picture him doing his little flips and turns, keeping his smile unnaturally wide on his face.

God, you hate smiles that look like that…

“If your baking a tasty little treat then are you planning on staying for a spot of tea?” The sound from the slicing of the tea leaves from yesterday enters your ears, as you have to restrain yourself from screaming. Seam’s asking him to stay? What the hell is he thinking?

“Ha ha ha… After all, you never shared your cooking with anyone else but me.” A tension falls over the room, it enters your lungs, suffocating you. The way Seam said that line drove a tingle down your spine. It was the kind of tone a mother uses when they know that their child is lying to them. Note to self, do not anger Seam…

“BWA HA HA! I WANTED TO MAKE A BATCH JUST FOR, ME, ME.” You were surprised how unaffected Jevil was after Seams ice-cold tone. Maybe he was used to it or something… But god, no wonder he never seemed to mind your glares.

Seams rage was like an icepick to the heart and you hated to admit it but you were nowhere close to being that intimidating... just another thing for you to work on. You can hear something scraping as it would in you were mixing something into a bowl.

“Oh contraire, Jevil. Last time you did that you threw it back up so violently that you still can’t taste the tanginess of orange without heaving over…”

The tense atmosphere was a fog of stress now. Your body was so ridged that you wondered if you could ever be relaxed again.

“Come to think of it… Your eyes hold that same luminescence they did when talking about that new guard…” 

Something clanks on the floor, almost making you flinch. The entire room was silent, a big change from the uproarious laughter of the clown. The quietness cut off the only sense you had to know what was happening outside of this prison of comfort.

You bite down at your lip again ripping into your own flesh, a landslip of blood filling up your taste buds, coating the inside of your mouth. Your eyes swell up but no tears emerge having none left inside their ducts. 

Then the jester giggles again. Not a sinister one but.. A… normal… laughter. As if the hushed moment from before never happened. 

“HA HA. YOU CAUGHT, CAUGHT ME! HOW FUN, FUN! HE HE. SWEET’S FOR THEM!”

The sickening crimson solution in your mouth and the vomit threatening at the edge of your throat was a disastrous combination. As if you would want to eat anything his hands have tainted…

Hell, as if you would want him to do anything for you. The only thing you would want is for him to leave you alone.

“That's funny, you two haven’t known each other that long… Is there a reason behind this sudden kindness?” His voice is much more relaxed now, making it easier to force your body to keep still unlike the iceberg level coldness of his speech before. No doubt he was trying to get him to admit to his affection for you. Something that made you want to peel off your own skin just thinking about it.

“THAT’S FUNNY...UEE HE HE! YOU WHAT’S EVEN FUNNIER, SEAM!!” Cold sweat drips down your forehead. Your soul stops beating in your chest, as you have to move your hand up to clench your mouth from the vile liquid close to filling it up.

That monstrous tone... 

“THE WAY, MY (Y/N) GAZES AT YOU!!! THOSE ADORABLE KIND EYES ARE NOT SUITED FOR A STRANGER. HEE HEE HEE!!” It was vile. It was threatening. It was...

It was an exact copy of the voice he had as he stabbed into your flesh, filled with madness and possessiveness that felt so eerily like what…

THEY held in their eyes.

His pupils going red and the ripping off your flesh felt so lifelike in your memories. Every time you thought of it you could feel your muscles ripping in two and the blade scrapping your bones.

A whimper slips out of your mouth. Horror overcomes your features, as you grit your teeth tightly together to stop any other sound from exiting.

Oh god… Could Jevil hear that…?

You listened attentively to the world around you, petrified of the possibility of the jester learning of your whereabouts.

You could hear some liquid pouring into something.

“Ha ha ha… Why do you threaten me so, Jevil? What is true you already know…I speak to (Y/N).” 

Is Seam… Admitting to knowing you?!

Your mind shatters into a million pieces, but a single thread of hope stitches your brain back together.

Seam… Knows Jevil best…

He wouldn't do anything reckless right?

Seam… Please tell me you know what you’re doing…

“HOW FUN, FUN… YOU TWO KNOW ONE ANOTHER.” A loud clap sound startles you, making you twitch. “BWA HA HA… I SUSPECTED AS MUCH. CLEVER, CLEVER!”

Your eyebrows lower, a look of confusion gracing your face. Why didn’t he sound angry… He sounded just as annoyingly energetic as he normally was. There was no malice in his voice like you thought there would be.

Was he trying to lower Seams guard so he could surprise attack him or…?

“THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH MORE FUN, FUN! HOW BORING IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A COUPLE PAWNS IN THE WAY! HE HE HE! CHAOS, CHAOS!” Thrill oozed out of his words, clearly… happy about the situation?

You felt like someone just sucker-punched you in the stomach. Out of all the ways, you thought that this would go down…You couldn't have even dreamed he would react like that…You didn’t know how you should feel.

What if he was just trying to get Seam to lower his guard but… He seems too impulsive to pull a stunt like that. But what sense would it make for him to be happy about you and Seam spending time together?

He twisted a blade in your flesh because you looked at Seam for god’s sake! But he joyful when Seam says you two have talked to each other… You can’t trust his answer...

You will never understand Jevil… Will you? Just when you think you know who he is…

Unpredictable. No, not just unpredictable…

He’s chaos.

“A... pawn? Ahh… Ha ha ha... You're making this new darkner the centerpiece to your new game… I assure you… They are not going to like that…” His voice came out quietly, a deadly whisper. Confusion crashed through your mind.

Centerpiece?

“HE HE HE! IF MY WORLD HAS ANY PROBLEMS THEY SHOULD BE THE ONE TO INFORM ME! IN FACT-”

The tension in the room rose like a wave sending you deeper into the depths of the ocean. The rising tides drowned your brain in a paranoid frenzy. His voice held a playful mischievousness that made you wish you were never born. 

In the matter of a split second, something appears on top of your legs of you, weighing you down further into the couch.

“-THEY COULD TELL ME RIGHT NOW…”

A scream spits out of your mouth, your fight or flight instincts kicking in. You start thrashing underneath the jester trying to free yourself from the constraints of the blanket but a sudden weight throws itself on top of your body embracing it in a tight hug.

“NU-HA! MY WORLD~”

Your eyes widen, color fading from your face.

Jevil’s hugging you…

Again…

Caging you on the couch in a rather compromising position.

You whimper wiggling weakly at the jesters hold. His arms coil around your body like a snake, attempting to squeeze the life out of you…And you were powerless to do anything about it. Jevil snuggled into the blanket above you, a strange… a purr-like sound coming from him...

Wait, Jevil purrs?

In an instant, all of the weight on top of you lifts off, sending a surge of confusion through you. “OH?” Jevil yells out, clearly surprised by something. 

“Jevil, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t forcefully touch my guests.” Echos out of the cat's mouth. That ice-cold tone shining through his words. “OH BOO HOO HOO!” Mocked the fool, you could hear him blowing a raspberry at the purple doll.

Does he have to be so immature?

Taking the opportunity, you quickly toss the blankets off of you, letting the brown cloth gather on the floor and fling yourself upright on the couch. You did not want to be in that… position with Jevil around...

God, just imagine what it would have been like if the blanket was absent... You pinned underneath him while he snuggled your body with that fond loving gaze... Your body dry-heaves and you cough out your lungs violently. 

No, just NO. You hope you never have to think of that again... You cough settles down, and you wipe off the dried blood on your hands on the surface of the ultra nice couch. You face fall as you look at your once soulmate of a sofa. Sadly enough after what happened today, it's certainly going to be a little tenser between you two. 

Although, you don't know if you'll ever be able to sit on it without remembering Jevil's toxic cuddles. 

Gathering your bearings after having to imagine... that... your eyes fall upon Seam. He had his paw firmly grasping the jester's collar which made you raise an eyebrow and dropped your jaw.

...Did Seam just grab Jevil to get him off of you?

But... But... Jevil can teleport and...

How?

The cat lifts the fools face up to his, a more serious look crossing the doll’s features. “I will not tolerate you harassing them Jevil. They are my guest.” Seam scolds the jester, like a petulant child. Jevil rests one of his hands on his cheeks, chuckling. His eyes go a shade darker.

“HE HE HE. JUST A GUEST FOR YOU. THE WHOLE WORLD FOR ME!” The jester tilts his head towards you, and his entire face lights up. His eyes sparkle a bright yellow as they meet your less than enthusiastic gaze. “AWWW!! YOU’RE SO PRETTY, PRETTY TODAY!!!”

Seeing that overly happy look on his face, sent a shiver down your spine. A frown forms on your face, nose wrinkling in disgust, with eyes filled with horror. “Please, don’t...”

A light blush falls over the clowns face, his smile etching even further on his face, as he cuddles both of hands on his cheeks. “UEE HEE HEE!!!” His tail swished behind him. “YOU PLAY, PLAY SO HARD TO GET!!”

The cat’s ears press against his head and shaking it in disapproval. He turns over to you, gesturing at the jester with his other paw. “(Y/N) would you like me to show him the door?”

Just looking at this love-obsessed jester, made you have a heart attack. You gazed cautiously at his yellow eyes, not wanting to blink. You were afraid that as soon as you looked away... His eyes would change back to crimson. 

You should say yes. You should obviously say yes. Spare yourself from the mental trauma of having to be near him... But he would be gone for long would he...?

He seems determined to win your love... And as much as you hate to think it... It's not going to get any better if you avoid him while you can...

You already tried that once with another...

and look how that turned out...

No... You have to face the music... You need to have a talk about what he's doing to you...

Would it even matter to try to reason with him? Or would you just be fueling his sickening thoughts further? 

Could you even question him in the state your in right now? He could turn on you at the drop of a hat and start torturing you...

But you do have Seam here... Someone who could stop him if things got too hectic...

And deep down you know that things are never going to get better if you don't try to make them better...

You gulp already regretting your decision and turn to the table, unable to meet either of their gazes..“He can stay…” You hold up your hand, one finger sticking up. “On one condition.” You rest your hands on the coffee table tangling your fingers around each other.

“One, I want Jevil to not touch me, pretend to touch me, or speak about touching me.” You nervously shuffle in your seat, taking a deep breath. “...We need to talk." You keep your eyes glued to the table refusing to budge your gaze, not wanting to see whatever look Jevil had in his eyes at that moment. 

“BWA HA HA! MY WORLD!” You wince hearing that pure adoration in his voice. “I WOULD LOVE, LOVE TOO!!” His overly energetic, happy tone made your spine crawl in terror. How long is he going to be like that…

At any moment his demeanor could change…

Threatening you.

Hurting you.

“If you say so (Y/N)... Looks like you’re invited to the tea party, Jevil.” Seam states, with a much more relaxed voice.

The chair next to you skids on the ground, making you cringe from the awful sound. You turn your eyes over to the chair, only to see the fool himself sitting there, looking at you with a content gaze. You look away as fast as possible, pretending you can’t feel his terrifying eyes stare at you.

Seam walks up to the table where he normally sat, tapping the finish with his finger. “I need to finish up the tea I was making earlier.” He moves away from the table moving over to the entrance to the kitchen. “It shouldn’t take too long but If you need me for whatever reason…”

He places his arm on the wall before the kitchen before turning back to you, worries gripping in his button eyes. “...Just yell out my name.” Seam disappears into the kitchen, leaving you alone…. With Jevil…

“Ha ha… You needing him… Such an unfunny joke…” Jevil’s voice was quiet as a whisper, malice dripping from his words. You cower away from him, taking in a sharp intake of air. 

This was a bad idea. This was a horrible idea.

You can hear his chair scooting close to you, compelling you to move over to the farthest spot away from him on the couch. You peek over at him, paranoid of him doing something behind your back.

The jester's smile widens when he’s your eyes on him. Jevil points his hand at himself, his other arm gesturing at the empty portion of the furniture. His eyes soften a flirty tinge growing in them. “HE HE. ARE YOU OFFERING ME A SPOT ON THE SOFA, MY WORLD?” He pulls his arm back, placing it on the table, then resting his face in his open hand.

“HOW ROMANTIC…”

You gag just thinking about doing something like that with him. Just wanting him to be around seemed like such an alien concept to you. You didn't understand how Seam could deal with him...

You clench your arms against your body, trying to calm down your bodies shaking. You had so many questions you wanted to ask… But even with Seam just around the corner.

You were too afraid to say any of them.

Jevil is chaos. You had no idea what you could say to him… You had no idea what he was going to be angry about…

You’re paralyzed. You shouldn’t have asked him to stay… No, you shouldn’t of become a guard in the first place...

You shouldn’t even be alive…

The comfortable sofa moved, one of the sides dip down as another took a seat next to you. “MY WORLD…?” Jevil says, concern lacing his voice. You shuffle closer to the edge of the sofa, a thought going through your mind. Last night, Jevil confided in you. He told you how you made him feel and he ultimately realized what his emotions meant.

What if you spilled your guts out to him? Told him why you were so scared of him and your deepest fears concerning his actions. Jevil emotionally reached out to you... Perhaps if you do the same… You both could come to an understanding of each other? 

You sharply intake air, you have to try... If you don't this fear is going to eat you alive.

“Are you going to hurt Seam?” A silence goes across the room, the only thing being heard was the sound of jars opening and closing from the kitchen.

“WHAT?” Escapes the jester's shocked form. A bewilderment laying inside those words that made you feel sick to your stomach. 

You cuddle your knees closer, uneasiness clawing at your throat, ”Don’t pretend that you don’t know what I’m talking about..” You glance over at Jevil feeling your breath tighten just from looking at him. “I can still feel what you did… I can still feel the blade…”

Jevil raises his hand reaching out to you but he slowly places it back on the sofa, his eyes lowering. His smile falls as his pinprick eyes go even smaller. “I DIDN’T MEAN…”

You turn away, burying your face in your knees, unable to face the jester any longer.

“I don’t care if you did it on purpose or not. You did that. You are capable of doing that…”

You cuddle closer to your knees, tightening your hold on to your legs. “How am I supposed to trust that you won't do it again?” Distrust and worry radiated off of your speech, like a poisonous fume. Consuming your entire being. 

“How am I supposed to ever-" You can feel bile rising in the back of your mouth as you speak, the words barely squeaking through your mouth. "-L-love you… If I’m afraid of you?” Just saying the word love caused your throat to feel raw and raspy. That is a word that has long left your vocabulary. It feels wrong to say...

Silence coats the world around you two, you can’t even hear Seam in the kitchen anymore. You can feel Jevil’s weight leave the sofa, and you grip your legs even more harshly.

Was he angry? Did you mess up telling him that? Your mind starts spiraling down, terror consuming your soul. No... Not again... 

“Please... Don’t hurt me…” You whimper out, softer than a whisper. You knew that this was a bad idea... 

“YOU THINK I’M GOING TO…” Jevil’s voice emerges coming from right in front of you, breathless and heartbroken. "MY WORLD!" His hot breath hits the top of your head. 

You lean backward trying to escape the jesters close proximity. However, you can feel your hair being played with, presumably by Jevil, but they don't come close enough to graze your scalp. Otherwise, he would have broken your little no touching rule... “I’M JUST A FOOL. A FOOL HOPELESSLY IN LOVE WITH YOU.”

He removes his hand from your hair, hesitantly, as if he didn't want to let go of it. “THIS IS SOMETHING NEW, NEW. I NEVER FELT THIS WAY ABOUT ANYONE ELSE. I LOVED MY LIGHTNER BUT NOT LIKE THIS.” There was a softness to his voice. An attempt to soothe. Whether it was attempting to soothe you or him... you didn't know.

But he didn’t sound nearly as distressed as he was last night, and that comforted you a little. 

No longer feeling his puffs of air on your head, you find the courage to tilt your head back up to see what the clown was possibly was. Nearby to the sofa twiddling his thumbs, Jevil stood, a nervous smile plain on his face.

“THIS JEALOUSY… THAT'S A PART OF LOVE RIGHT?” He looks at you with a pleading expression, unsure about the validity of his statement. He was right to be unsure... very right to be unsure... Because you knew that his emotion wasn't just a normal part of love. 

“WHEN I SEE YOU WITH SEAM, AND I FEEL THAT BITTER TASTE… HE HE.” His smile turns more relaxed and he holds his arms out in front of him, clearly gesturing at you.”THAT’S BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!” His voice jumps up in excitement, his eyes tinted pink. He steps closer to you, staring into your eyes like you were a masterpiece at an art museum. 

He folds his fingers into a heart shape and winks at you.“CAN’T HAVE HEAVEN WITHOUT A LITTLE HELL.” He leans forward and breaks the heart in half reaching out with his gloved hand to caress your face, but you hold your hand up flat where his hand was intending to strike."Remember the rules?" He slowly lowers his hand grasping it around the other one. "OF COURSE, COURSE!"

You lower your hand, gulping. You were going to have to be more aggressive with your speech. "While I appreciate the information you’ve given me. You haven’t answered my question.” You keep your eyes on him, tightening your hold on your legs. You absolutely had to know...

“Are you going to hurt anyone Jevil?”

His tail falls down to the ground, laying limply on the black floor. His eyes downturn clouded, and his ears lower. The fool kneels down and moves his hand over to the side of the couch, doodling on the surface of the cushions. 

“I-I...” Uncertainty and fear dance in his tone. “HOPE I DON’T…”His eyes trace the movements of his fingers, worry blooming on his features. His fingers suddenly stop, his arm retreating back to his side. He looks back up at you, eyes yellow eyes dull and blacken. Frown replacing his usual smile.

“...MY WORLD… DO YOU HATE ME?”

You rock back into the top of the sofa, startled by his question. Your eyebrows raise and your dry mouth opens but not a peep utters within. What were you supposed to say…

What could you say? You can’t tell him the truth… God knows how Jevil would react to knowing that you hated him..

“Umm…” Your mouth feels like you just swallowed a glass full of sand. Your throat tightens, and your brain races trying to find an answer.

Jevil’s eyes darken even further a pseudo-smile forming on his lips. “YOU DO...” Color leaves your face, terror gripping at the edges of your soul.

You shake your head, “N-no I don’t.” You lie, stutter giving away your clear fear.

Jevil tilts his head, fake smile widening even further. “HA HA. DON’T LIE, LIE… I UNDERSTAND.” He holds both of his hands to his chest, eyes pointing downwards at the hands. His eyes were entirely empty.

“I HATE ME TOO…”

He hates himself? You would have never thought that he...

But he acts so happy...

You could empathize with his statement of self-loathing... You bite your lip, uneasy and unsure what to You let go of your legs, rearranging yourself until your kneeling.

It’s been a while since you last tried to console someone… And you clearly have forgotten that skill over the years… But you can at least try. You focus your sights on Jevil, taking a deep breath, you place your hands on the sofa and leaning forward. “Jevil…” You mumbled, an uncertainty dripping from your tone.

His head tilts up and his dark golden eyes boring into your own. “THERE’S A REASON WHY SEAM’S THE ONLY OTHER DARKNER THAT I TALK TO… MY ONLY COMPANION...”He tugs at one of his gloves, and he tilts his head down to the ground, shame forming on his features. “HEE HEE HEE. ONLY ONE HERE THAT CAN STAND ME, ME.” 

A pang of guilt attacks your soul... You thought he was an annoying little pest, that you couldn't stand... Is that the norm for him? Do darkners normally think that exact same thing when they see him? 

That must be horrible...

He nuzzles his face into his hand. “I’M ANNOYING. I’M IMPULSIVE. I HURT OTHERS WHEN I DON’T MEAN IT…I CAN’T CONTROL MYSELF!.” He raises his head back up at you, weakly, a hollow shell of the overly energetic jester you knew.

“NO WONDER YOU HATE, HATE ME…”

It’s funny to think that just a little while ago. You were cowering under the blankets... from this darkner. That’s what he is… Just a darkner. He has insecurities, wants and needs like any other darkner. Jevil isn’t just some boogeyman that’s ruining your life. 

He’s just a sad little fool… A fool that has some serious problems. Problems that you know far too well...

You saw those possessive angry eyes… You’ve been down this road before...

But was it ok to say that he is going to be the same as… ▆▆▆▆▆?

Jevil holds a Jealous… Not a hatred…

He’s struggling with his feelings… Not thriving in them…

He is not ▆▆▆▆▆…

...And you hate the fact that you may be the only one that can stop him from turning into THEM...

You reach down to the floor, grabbing the brown blanket, that was hastily tossed down. You hold it in both of your hands and drape it around the Jevil. 

“NU-HA?!” His face springs up, twisting to look over at the blanket, then moves his eyes over to you, a clear sadness still present in them. "DID YOU DO THAT OUT OF PITY, MY WORLD?" The way he said that... painted a picture. 

You take in a deep breath, your mind screaming at you about the reckless decision you were about to make. "At this point, I don’t think you're going to willingly leave my life..." You look upward at the ceiling, trying to make it easier for yourself to speak. "... and I... can't let you leave..." 

"Oh?" Exit's his mouth quietly, a conscious optimism slowly rising.

You scratch the back of your head, sheepishly and look down at the couch. "If I don't try to help you... You won't get any better... You need someone you can talk to and rely on..." You hold your hand up to your chest, glancing at the wall of interesting items Seam has collected.

The kitchen has been awfully quiet these past couple of minutes, which gave you sweaty palms. At this point, Seam should be done with his tea... and considering the lack of tea on the table or noise coming from the kitchen, you can't help but wonder if Seam just abandoned you. You shake your head letting your stupid intrusive thought drift away. 

"I think that darkner... has to be me..." 

"My world..." His voice was terrifyingly quiet... Just like how it was when he saw determination in your eyes for the first time... Bringing back that awful memory back into your mind. "You're telling the truth... Not a lie, lie...right?" 

You force your line of sight to meet his, His eyes were opened wide, a clear excitement growing in them but something was restraining it back from reaching its peak. Did he not believe you? 

You clear your throat anxiety hitting you like a freight train. You knew that once you said this to him... it could never be taken back. It would place you on a horrifying road, a road that was filled with his possessive insanity...

But...

It's what your lightner would have wanted...

In spite of all of your fear and the pain, you know you're signing yourself up for you...

They would have wanted you to try to stop...

What KILLED them from happening again. 

You hold your hand out to Jevil, as a gesture of goodwill, and say four words to him that you were sure you were going to regret for the rest of your life...

"Jevil... Let's be friends."


	10. A False Sense of Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's impossible to argue with someone that won't take no for an answer.

This was a moment you had never expected to happen… A moment you would never dream of happening. Asking to be friends with this mentally unstable freak. Last night, had been a major shift in your relationship.

Jevil had gone from a creepy stranger that you wish would just leave you alone into something much worse. Unrequited love was the name of the sickness that he had in his soul. An all-consuming passion that can drive the best of people into doing the worst of things.

And you decided like the smart darkner that you are, to befriend him in the possibility of curing him, and stopping what happened to your lightener from happening to anyone else. You knew that this was the responsible thing to do but even still…

...Why did it have to be you? 

He stared at your outstretched hand… with an unreadable expression on his features. He lets go of the soft fabric and the blanket topples to the floor around him. “FRIEND…” The word came out with a bittersweet taste. His mouth struggles with the pronunciation of the word as if he hasn’t said it that many times before. “MY WORLD… YOU WANT TO HELP, HELP ME…?”His voice shook as he spoke, his words tasting sweeter as the sentence continued on.

You nervously look away, biting your lip. “Don’t make this weird, Jevil...” You scratch the back of your head, glancing anywhere but where the little gremlin sat.

“I know that at this rate your never going to leave me alone so… I might as well try to make this experience easier for myself.” A sweatdrop drips down your forehead, the atmosphere being heavier and harder to breathe. “It’s not because I like you or anything… ” You add, not wanting Jevil to get the wrong idea about your reasoning for doing this. 

In the blink of an eye, you get flung into the couch, your head bonking on the back of the sofa. A weight landed on your legs preventing you from even attempting to walk away. Your breath gets stuck in your throat, as you feel arms snaking around your waist and a warmth nuzzling into your collarbone.

“YOU REALLY DO CARE, CARE… UEE HEE HEE!! YOU ARE SUCH A PERFECT CHAOS, CHAOS!!!” Shouts out the jester. His speech was fast and high pitched filled with an exhilaration that would cause any normal darker to have a heart attack.

Your mind flatlines… your head snapping to your front praying god that you were just imagining the horrible warmth flowing into you. But no… there he was kneeling on your legs, caging you and happily giggling right next to your ear.

You freeze feeling any little resemblance of bravery from before evaporating. How did the idea of him hugging you from your offer of friendship not cross your mind?... Yes, you did have that rule in place but Jevil said it himself…He’s way too impulsive and a rule like that wouldn't even phase him from doing what he wanted without being constantly reminded of it.

It felt just like last night… Him hugging you with your still bleeding flesh shrieking to an unforgiving and cruel world. The crimson dripping over the dirt below you. Hoards of pain rushing at you from your limbs. Your breathing in and out in the same second, your eyes refusing to process anything that was in front of you

“BWA HA HA! A BEAUTY NEVER SEEN BEFORE IS JOYING IN MY HEART! YOU MAKE ME WAY TOO EXCITED, EXCITED!! " The fool snuggles you closer to him laughing without a care in the world. His tail wags back and forth from his utter bliss.

The fool’s statements fall on deaf ears. You remember the excruciating pain so vividly that you swear you can feel your wounds screaming… You wince, no you could you actually feel it... in spite of your clear undamaged skin. The aching acute pain from last night was angrily biting at your flesh as if you were still there.

His weight shifts from your collarbone as his face raises to tilt up at your clouded dreaming eyes. Smiling ear to ear, he studies you with great interest. His eyelids lower, a mischievous glint in his open smile. “HE HE HE! YOU REALLY DO LIKE YOUR NEW BOYFRIEND DON’T YOU?” He teases, leaning his head in significantly closer to yours.

Boyfriend… it bounced around your mind like a fly trying to leave a glass cube. Boyfriend… the word shot through the flashback that was overtaking your form. Boyfriend… before you could even comprehend what was happening, your arm rocks back, and your hand comes together to form a tight fist. It launches itself directly into the bottom of the fools jaw.

The second your fist connects, you can see Jevil’s face light up as he is propelled into the air by the force of your uppercut. “NU-HA!!” Shouts out the fool as he crashes into the plastered barrier above you.

Large cracks cascade from Jevils impact site, dust, and debris erupting out into a cloud and covering the area below him in the awful drywall particles. A muffled “NU-HA!” Comes from inside the wall, and for a moment you question after he so eloquently destroyed his ceiling, where his head must have gone. What’s above the Jokers bachelor pad?

You hold the side of your non-punching arm up, coughing into it. You blink at your destruction you wrought, not exactly worried about it… Jevil or Seam could fix that easily enough.

You turn your gaze down back to your hand that caused it, The hand was still tight in a fist, your arms tense, ready to go again if anything happened. You narrow your gaze, bewildered by what just occurred. The idea of punching him hadn’t even crossed your mind… You were too preoccupied with your little flashback…

A surge of pride hits you, Hey, you still had those lightning-fast reflexes! Even when your mind was somewhere completely different… That’s at least something right? You had to focus on the positives right now… You need something to hold onto so you don’t fall into one of your infamous panic attacks from Jevil’s touch.

Suddenly, Jevil’s body springs out of his head and bounces down in the air, destroying your previous train of thought. You shriek jumping on the couch, your feet sinking into its heavenly cushions. You gripped the back of the chair, horrified just looking at Jevil’s frame dangling, gently swaying with nothing but a stretched-out spring connecting him to his head. This is so much worse then the time his head flew off. 

Chuckling comes from the jesters still stuck head, as his body magically shoots back at him joining his form back together again. His arms come up and they push the black plastered prison encasing his grinning face. His head pops out of the hole, laughing like there was no tomorrow. “BWA HA HA!!! A CHAOS-CHAOS…! A MISCHIEF-MISCHIEF!! UEE HEE HEE!!” His hand comes up to wipe the tear forming in his closed eyes, His face a deep purple from his insistent giggles

Blood rushes to your cheeks, and you glare at the fool, grinding your teeth. “You are such a toddler!!” You yell out at the immature, jack-in-the-box. He clutches his legs close to him, and he spins himself around over and over again.

“HE HE HE!! I LOVE, LOVE MY WORLD!! I REVOLVE BECAUSE OF YOU!!” He declares spinning even faster than before… You narrow your eyes, moving your crouched form off of the couch and you stand up on the jet black ground.

“Sure buddy… whatever...” You dismiss his affectionate statement, rolling your eyes and folding your arms over one another. This silly banter between you two reminds you of when you first meant.

You just being annoyed at the fool's antics, just seeing him as a little pest. You almost missed being able to talk to him like this but you both could never return to that. Even now, you could feel the tension crawling up your skin. The fear of his gloved hands stroking against your skin.

You could never go back to just thinking of him as just a nuisance…

The fool lets go of his legs, ceasing his spinning. His laughing grows quieter turning into more of a giggle as he wraps his own arms around himself in a hug.

“HA HA! YOU’RE WAY TOO MUCH FUN!!” Jevil calls out, dropping himself from the damaged cracked ceiling. He does a somersault as he falls, landing on Seam’s couch feet first. He springs up slightly, letting out an ”NU-HA!” then he holds his arms up over his head like he just performed a spectacular trick,

You raise an eyebrow at him. “Really, Jevil? I’ve seen you do much better than that…” You state looking at the fool up and down, confused at the fanfare he was expecting from that mediocre height he dropped from. 

The fool merely chuckles as he steps on the arm of the couch and jumps off the side. “I KNOW, KNOW… “ He lands easily and he turns his face towards you pink overtaking the yellow once in his stare.

“YOU’RE JUST TOO FUN, FUN TO TEASE...” He purrs out. He rubs underneath his chin, right where you hit him, A purple blush falling on his cheeks. You let out a groan of disgust and take a step further away from the jester. Oh god… does he actually like it when you hit him…? You might have teased the idea in the past but when confronted with such obvious evidence…

Your eyes become sharp as a dagger at the fool, and you turn your nose up at him. “Jevil, you sicken me…” You sneer, spitting out Jevil’s name like the rotten grape he was. The fool leans his head into one of his hands, enjoying the attention you were giving him. “I LOVE, LOVE EVERYTHING YOU DO, MY WORLD!” He nuzzles into his own hand, his pink heart eyes almost worshiping you.

“I ACCEPT YOUR BLOWS BECAUSE YOU SO GRACIOUSLY GAVE THEM TO ME…” You can see the pink grow and even madder shade as he goes on, his obsession with you shining out at full force.

You gag harshly from that last line completely revolted by his statement. Not to mention that disgusting look in his eyes… Maybe you should try to change to subject before you see his lovesickness grow even bolder. “God whatever Jevil…I’m not even going to try to open up that can of worms right now” You rub your temples, praying to god that you were going to destroy him for forcing you into this mess.

You gather up your courage and look at him in his disgusting love filled eyes. “We still need to talk about the friendship thing.” You sigh this is going to be a nightmare and half to get Jevil to listen to your terms… wasn’t it?

You could see the loving look transformation into a more nervous, charade. “OH YES, YES!!” He cries out, clasping his hands together, the giggles coming from him sounding a little more… off than usual.

A frown forms deeply on your features watching his overly happy reaction and you turn away from him and walk over to the chair on the left side of the coffee table.

“I know your excited and playful because I said that I would be your friend… but it's more like I’m going to be a… therapist of sorts… and I have a couple of rules for you that should help with your behavior.” You grab the chair and sit down inside of it. You cross your arms looking sternly back at the jester expecting to see him still staring at you.

The fool instead has his gaze searching the floor until his eyes stop on the blanket he had let drop off of him earlier. His grin grows wider as his tail swishes behind him. “HE HE HE... OF COURSE, COURSE…” He responds clearly not paying attention to anything you just said.

He takes a couple of steps forward, grabbing the blanket and bringing its brown fluffiness to his face. He takes a deep sniff of the blanket then melts into it...”IT SMELLS LIKE YOU, YOU…” He giggles out, nuzzling his face against it and twirling like a ballerina in place.

You growl, your eye twitching from the jester not even paying attention to what you're trying to tell him. “Jevil pay attention! We need to talk about this…” You reminded the clown, tapping your finger impatiently against the table. You really just wanted to get this going because you knew that getting Jevil to listen to you was going to be a challenge

“I need to help you stop your more violent emotions and fortunately enough for you I have some idea of how to help you but you have to follow certain rules in order to get better. “While you were most certainly not a professional in any sense of the word… anyone could probably tell the worst parts of this jesters psyche. And you at least had enough experience to tell what might actually make it better...

Jevil stops his spinning putting his other foot back on the ground, looking back at you with his lips pursing and his face still cuddling the fuzzy blanket, "RULES?... FOLLOWING THOSE ARE SO UN-SO OF ME..." He protests, pouting at the idea.

You tilt your head, frown moving further down your face “Having a friend is un-so of you as well Jevil!” You grumble and as soon as it leaves your mouth you can feel a bit of shame well up inside you. What a horrible thing to say… You probably went way too far with that statement… You open your mouth to apologize but Jevil loudly gasps.

The fool clutches the blankest close to his soul and he takes a step away from you. “OH, MY WORLD! HOW LOW, LOW CAN YOU GO…?” He dramatically cries out face contorting into one of fake angst and betrayal.

You exhale finally comfortable enough breathing again. Oh, thank god! He’s just taking it as a joke… even still his silly attitude did cause your eye to twitch. You stop tapping the table and you instead grip it harshly in your hand. “Low enough to hopefully get your ass into this seat right here…” You mumble out, rapidly pointing over and over again at the seat across from you.

“HMMM…” He gazes at your actions scratching his chin, clearly contemplating the situation. He smirks lowering his hand, gripping the blanket. “I’D LOVE, LOVE TO JOIN YOU!! BUT-” He tosses the blanket over himself and it somehow perfectly drapes itself over his shoulders. He grabs each end, swaddling it tightly around himself. “-I’M A LITTLE WRAPPED UP RIGHT NOW…!”

You instantly slam your face down onto the table, audibly groaning at his godawful pun… “I’m going to have a stroke…” Thunderous laughter comes from the fool, only serving to heighten your hatred of all things Jevil. You know you could still go with your plan of living in the woods instead of having to stay here with him… and after that travesty, you were starting to consider that option again.

“UEE HEE HEE!! OH! YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN, FUN ON OUR DATE!!” The clown laughs out. You lift your head an inch off of the table, eyes widening, Oh yeah… he wanted to go on a date later with you today… as your new boyfriend… 

A part of you is tempted to throw your head at the table as hard as you possibly could… because just maybe you would die and then you wouldn’t have to deal with any of this jesters bullshit anymore… But there was a chance you would survive… plus it would be hard for Seam. He would have to collect your dust off the floor… you wouldn’t want to put that kind of trauma on him.

You bring your hands to your face, massaging your aching forehead. “Can you stop calling it a date, Jevil?” You whine, the word date like a nuclear bomb on your consciousness. The word Date implied you two would be … holding hands… hugging… kissing… everything about that made you want to hurl... and your guessing that Jevil wanted all of those things to happen on his little date too…

“WHY SHOULDN’T I?~” Playfully retorted the jester in question, his speech coming from right in front of you. You didn’t even have to raise your head to know that he head was right next to yours. You knew what he wanted he wanted you to freak out and move away from him but you weren't going to let him have the satisfaction. You dip your face down, back to the smooth surface of the table, denying your instincts to leave to spite this little bastard.

“Because I don’t like it…” You mumble back, there was a tenseness to your answer. The why in his question was making you think back to that night again… but he doesn't have that awful tone in his voice so he isn’t going to change back into that… right?

Hopefully, you’re right…

His gloved hand starts stroking through your locks, twiddling the strands of your hair, giggling maniacally. “AWWWW… HEE HEE HEE… YOU’RE SO CUTE WHEN YOU ACT SHY, SHY…” The hands on your head send a panic quivering in your soul… but his carefree tone does mean that he isn’t going to lose control because of that statement. Even still, Your lips press hard against one another.

He just thinks your being bashful about this whole situation? You could feel your rage bubbling up again. How can he think that you’re just being shy to him?! You open your mouth to say something but you pause, realizing something.

Wait…

How can he think that…?

He literally just said that you must hate him for what he’s done… in that case, why would you be supposedly shy like this if you hated him…?

That doesn't make any sense…

And you just said that you would be Jevil’s friend and here he is pretending that you are shy about dating him… What the actual hell is he-

Oh… Is THAT what he's doing…?

A bitter taste hits your tongue, the disgusting scent of deception hitting your nostrils

You scoot your seat back, just to make sure you didn’t accidentally hit any of Jevil as you raise your head back up to face him. Just as you guessed he was laying down on the coffee table, actually being small enough that his entire body could lay on top of it. He looked slightly surprised at the anger on your face which just made that awful stench even more nauseating. 

You glare at him, you feel like you were being played like a puppet. “Jevil… what the hell are you doing?” You ask sternly keeping your irate attitude back in case he actually has a decent explanation. 

Jevil tilts his head, his eyes curiously blinking at you.“WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY, ANGRY?” The clown asks, guiding his hands to the edge of the table and pulling himself closer to the area you retreated to.

The naivety of his answer was like that of a small child asking his mother how the refrigerator works and oh god if that didn’t infuriate you even further, the bitter taste almost making you gag with how potent it was becoming.

The sharpness of your eyes could cut through steel, How could he just pretend to not know what game he's playing with you? “...Do you not remember what we talked about Jevil…?” you lift your chin up, boring down at the little trickster. “Or are you just pretending that we’re dating, in spite of us just being friends?” You hiss out at the jester, not even caring about how he might react to you anymore.

His smile erases, pupils dilate and his tail shoots out of him standing on its end. “HUH, HUH?” The words hurriedly spew out of his face, bewildered by your assertion.

You swear under your breath, grinding your teeth against each other. “Oh! Don’t play dumb with me, Joker... “ Your fists clench, the clueless attitude of Jevil’s grinding your nerves. “Why else would you still be calling yourself my boyfriend…?” You point your finger out at him, sneering at the jester's dastardly little ploy

. “You’re manipulating me by acting like we are dating so I’d think that was true weren’t you?!” You never suspected the little freak to try to gaslight you this hard! Or stupidly you guys talked about the friendship situation only thirty or so minutes ago. Did he expect you to have that bad of a memory?

Shock envelopes the jesters face, His eyes widening and his eyebrows arching high… and after a moment a dullness enters his eyes and his mouth going agape, and he starts shivering. You would almost say that he looked… devastated. But before you could process what you were seeing he flies backward into the air covering his face with his hands.

“Do you… already have a lover…?”. His voice was an icepick, jabbing itself into your brain nearly stopping all of your basic functions. It was a whispered tone, that sent your mind into an anxiety-filled panic.

Begging. He was begging you to say no. The terror in his voice echoed the same fear you felt every time you were with him. He was teetering off the edge. Like he was about to break… and you prayed to God that he wasn't about to have a psychotic break. 

You could feel your face crumple up, in confusion and horror. How the hell did he… come to that conclusion..? You didn’t even say anything that could lead a reasonable darkner into thinking that… but this was Jevil… you shouldn't be holding him up to normal darkner standards of logic and reasoning.

“No, no I don’t! I have never been in a real relationship my entire life.” you squeak out, your voice higher pitched from the pure panic flowing through your veins. You cringe as you say the last part in your sentence… which was a flat out lie but you would rather pretend that you have never been in a romantic partnership to try to suppress the memory.

He spreads two of his fingers allowing one of his… now amber colored eyes to stare back at you. “...You don’t…? Then why-” He disappears mid-sentence, causing your already fast-paced soul to go into maximum overdrive.

You look around frantically trying to see where the unstable gremlin went until you feel so two solid lumps of mass grip your shoulders. “-Why don’t you want to date me…?” He questions, with a cold panic-struck tone. His hands shivered as they gripped your shoulders, his fingers nearly digging into your skin.

As soon as his hands hit your shoulder, you can feel your breathing quicken. You felt like you were in a compressor with Jevil’s hands being the things that would crush the life out of you… all that Jevil would need to do was flip the switch to start the process… but just the threat of it made your speech erupt out of you like a volcano.

“Jevil… I’ve already told you why. You are the most terrifying darkner I have ever met… I can’t love someone who I’m scared of...” You whimper out the words just slipping out from your panic. His hands soften their hold, almost caressing your shoulders, leading you to think your frenzied speech was actually working. “T-that's why I asked to be your friend instead… And because we’re friends I could help you and get that under control and-”

“I NEVER ACCEPTED YOUR FRIENDSHIP MY WORLD...” His voice cuts through the air like a knife, utterly destroying your thoughts with one sentence.There was a sadness to his thankfully, back to yelling tone that you couldn't place... You blink, your mouth going agape. Did he never actually say yes to your offer…? But… if he rejected it, why was he so happy about it?

“W-what?” Untangles itself from your mind, spitting out in your puzzled state. His hands leave your shoulders, and for a second your mind relaxes… Only for him to fold his arms around your collarbone and you can feel his chin start to rest on the top of your head and it nuzzles down into you. You whimper loudly at the contact, your soul stopping its beating entirely. Why… oh god why, does he have to keep touching you? He already trapped you once today… why does he have to do it again..?

“I LOVE, LOVE YOU SO MUCH…” He coos at you, his head moving on top of you softly, trying to ease you. He was being so much more… intimate with the way he was holding you.

He usually held you tight suffocating you in a lovesick embrace. But right now there was a tenderness in his hold. He was being gentle. You could feel the tears welling up in your eyes. This was the worst hug he’s ever given you...

Because It felt just like how THEY used to hold you…

“HEARING YOU SAY THOSE KIND, KIND WORDS... AND…YOU TROUBLING YOURSELF WITH ME…” He nearly choked on the essence of gratitude in his voice. He moves his facial features down into your nest of hair, his warm breaths hitting the top of your scalp only serving as a painful reminder of the position you were in with him…A teardrop falls down your cheek.

You grind your teeth against each other, cursing your memories. You wish you could just crumple them up into a ball and throw them into a fireplace… But instead, you have to sit here… feeling that same grief and shame that you did back then.

“NU-HA! MY CAROUSEL IS SPINNING AGAIN!” He calls out, shoving his face into your nest of hair, nuzzling into it with a purr. You had never heard him sound like this before… His usual bubbly happiness had a soft delicate edge… A loving relaxed border that jumped out at you like a banshee. Was your… so-called kind words responsible for this change…?

An earthquake was going off inside of you. Each part of you shaking and quivering like never before. Why does he have to hold you like this?! Why does he have to force you to remember so many awful moments from the past? “P-please Let m-me go…” You plead a mere whisper in the atmosphere of the Jokers home. Hot tears spill down your face as you pray that he doesn't take offense to your begging.

Jevil’s assault on your head stops, and he lifts his head up off of your’s.”...YOU’RE CRYING…” He realized with a mixture of disappointment and crippling dismay.

A silence falls between the two of you, the ticking of the clock and the shuffling of the darkners in the hallway being the only audible noise around. The arms around your collarbone loosen gradually. Hesitant. But they eventually fall to the wayside.

Your eyes widen, and your mouth opens to say something to him but no words emerge from within. He… let you go? You would have never expected him to… listen to you.

You bring up your arm to wipe the tears trickling down your cheeks, but a yellow cloth floats up and dabs them away before you get the chance. You can’t help but cringe at the act of kindness from Jevil… Why can’t he just leave you alone…? Doesn't he see that he only makes it worse…?

Looking up you can see the Jester in question, floating in front of you, twiddling the ends of his hat in his hands. He looked down at the floor, unwilling to meet your gaze, like a child who had been caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. “... AM I… STILL THAT HORRIBLE TO TOUCH, TOUCH, MY WORLD…?” He asks a duller shade to his yellow eyes.

You gulp, dreading his possible response to your answer. “...Yes…” Wrangles itself out of your mouth and you tense up, preparing yourself for whatever hell you might have just unleashed.

The corner’s of the fool's mouth fall down words, eyes clouding up further as the golden fabic against your cheek disappears. “I SEE…” He mumbles, dropping his hands down from his hat. He brings his saddened eyes back to you.

“I THOUGHT THAT…SINCE YOU OFFERED TO BE MY FRIEND… His eyes retreat away from you, looking down at the purple cotton balls on his shirt. He grabs one of them and starts rolling it around in his palm. “THAT MEANT YOU COULD STAND MY PHYSICAL AFFECTION…” He explains, although his explanation does sound rather odd to you.

Does Jevil think that friendship means he can just embrace that darkner whenever he wants…? You know that he only has Seam for a sort of companionship but even then how does he think that?

Then again, this was Jevil… He’s not the brightest pawn on the chessboard.but… If he did think that friendship would let him put his filthy little hands all over you… then why was he so against being your friend?

“Jevil… why won’t you accept my offer?” You try to speak as calmly as possible in spite of your still shivering body. A sorrowful smile creeps on the face of the fool, shifting his pupils back to look at you. “ HE HE. I HAD DREAM, DREAMED OF YOU ASKING ME THAT BEAUTIFUL QUESTION...”

His hands let go of the decoration on his shirt, coming up to cup his cheek. “ME AND YOU BEING FRIENDS… THAT WAS THE GRAND PRIZE I WANTED OUT OF OUR LITTLE GAME…” His gaze darts away from you, faint purple heating up his features. “AT LEAST THAT WAS WHAT I THOUGHT I WANTED THEN …”

His head lowers down to the ground, his jester hat darkening over part of his face. “BUT AFTER LAST NIGHT…” He draws on his voice going quiet until a series of maddening giggles starts pouring out of his mouth.

Your toes curl as you scoot your seat backward, not at all liking where this was going. He throws his head back up, his pupil's thinner then you had ever seen them before. A nervous overly exaggerated grin marks his face. “I DON’T THINK I COULD HANDLE US JUST BEING FRIENDS…”

You sharply inhale, holding that breath inside of you. You close your eyes shut, not wanting to see that look on his face any longer. It was pathetic how even the smallest creepy thing he did could send you into such a state of panic… you’re such a goddamn coward.

“I JUST WANT ONE, ONE... “ The fool shouts out as you hear a sudden thump hit the floor. You peek over at the fool, curious and terrified of what that noise was. His knees were down on the ground, his tail nervously moving behind him..

“JUST LET ME TAKE YOU OUT, OUT TODAY…” His hands clasped together, and he peers up at you pleading for a positive response to his request. “NOT AS A FRIEND… BUT AS A LOVER.” He tilts his head, his eyes boring into yours so intensely that it felt like he was trying to set them on fire. “PLEASE… JUST ONE DATE…?” His lips pouted out as his eyes shimmered up at you. 

You knew this technique… the old puppy dog eyes trick… Your lightner had used this ancient art against you more than a dozen times and you always melted at the sight of their cute little puffed up cheeks… But Jevil’s version… let’s just say that the clown make-up didn’t do him any favors.

Your lips mash against each other, as you scratch your neck. Needless to say that you didnt want to go out on a date with Jevil… But you also thought that he was going to force you to go out with him… Why is he… letting you choose now?

Before he literally kidnapped your book to use for ransom so you would go to his show… but now he was pleading with you to let him go on just one date with you… Was Jevil trying to be a better darkener now or… is this just another one of his schemes? You still were skeptical... Afterall…

Your choices don’t seem to matter much to Jevil...

“...Ummm… I…” You trail off unable to actually think of a response to his inquiries. You, of course, wanted to say no to him and just never ever date him in your lifetime but you were still afraid of what he might do if you just flatline rejected him like that in such a crucial moment for the fool. “...why should I..?” You asked raising an eyebrow at the fool and trying to give yourself a couple more precious seconds to think.

Jevil’s smile grows creepily larger, his expression filling with even more anxiety from that question, “I CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT!... JUST ONE NIGHT WITH ME AND YOU IS ALL I ASK FOR.”

He shuffles himself closer to you, prompting you to scoot your chair backward in response. Is he really saying that he would do anything to get this date with you? Or is he just shouting out one of his catchphrases?

You lean further back in your chair, contemplating what would even be worth having to go on a date for. It would be worth going on if it meant that Jevil would never talk to you again… but you knew that he wouldn’t agree to those terms.

He wants to win you over… plus you doubt he could actually control himself enough to stop talking to you. “I don’t know if there is anything you can do to change my mind Jevil…” You mutter under your breath, turning your head to the side to get that miserable looking darkener out of your sight.

“YOU LOATHE, LOATHE MY CUDDLES… RIGHT?” The fool reiterates, your lips pursed as you glance back at Jevil, wondering where he's going with this. “WHAT IF I MAKE A DEAL, DEAL WITH YOU…?”

He hops himself back up to his not-so-impressive normal standing height and he thrusts his open palm only a couple of inches away from your stomach, making you shrink back in your seat. “LET US HAVE THIS ROMANTIC RENDEZVOUS AND I PROMISE TO NOT EMBRACE YOU AGAIN FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK, WEEK.”

You blink rapidly at Jevil’s open palm, your eyebrows curving upwards with wrinkles forming on your forehead. There's no way he’s actually promising you that right? But when you look in his eyes you can see a seriousness one wouldn’t expect from the silly little court jester. You would almost say… you could see the beginnings of a determination shimmering in his gaze.

Oh… he isn’t joking… he is genuinely offering you that.

“A week…” Slides out of your mouth. No stressing out about him embracing you… No memories pounding your skull from his hugs... God, that would do wonders for your blood pressure… 

You knew that him leaving you alone forever was extremely unrealistic… but for him to swear off cuddling you for a week… that seemed feasible enough that Jevil might actually be able to do that…. You know he says that he can do anything but you still don’t believe that saying in the slightest.

Even still, God that was a… tempting offer...

But you would have to go on a goddamn date with this psychotic clown. However, if you didn’t go on the date… you were passing up on your chance to taste life without constant anxiety again. Oh… this is a tough choice.

“What happens if you hug me on accident during this time…?” You question, sliding the chair a little further back, not enjoying how the hand was still quite close to you. You still needed more information on his offer… you didn’t know how he was going to enforce this rule and that might help you come to your answer. 

Jevil’s face perks up, some of the stress cradling him starting to flake off. He pulls his hand back and starts wiggles excitedly in place. “NU-HA! THAT’S SUCH A SIMPLE CHAOS!” He slaps his hand to his forehead, his tongue slithering out of his mouth as he starts laughing.

“UEE HEE HEE! I NEVER BREAK A PROMISE, PROMISE!!! THAT'S SOMETHING I REFUSE TO PARTAKE IN!!” His bats his, not really that eyelashed, now peach-colored eyes at you. An almost perfect blend of pink and yellow, a mixture that you dreaded staring into.

You raise an eyebrow, well that isn’t reassuring is it? No punishment if Jevil disregards his promise.

Jevil excitedly starts shaking his fists up and down. “YOU SAY YES, YES, RIGHT?” The fool looks like he's going to burst from the amount of hyper energy inside of him. Why was he acting like you had confirmed you would be going? The only thing you did was ask him a question and here he is ready to prematurely celebrate a victory he didn’t even know was coming.

A large part of you wanted to decline just to see that unwarranted happiness leave his eyes but at the same time… a sour feeling in your gut could tell that his celebration wasn't actually premature. You hated to admit it but jevil was right to be so overly cocky and confident about you saying yes.

You could see a brief glimpse of his possessive nature in his eyes, alongside a mere whiff of determination. He was going to get you to go out with him.

Your choice doesn't matter.

For a brief moment, you could smell the stench of freedom. The ability to make a choice but you knew that both paths lead to the same thing in the end. Did jevil just want to give you the illusion of choice in this situation…? Perhaps he did… maybe he didn’t want you to notice the bars around you. The love cage he is constructing, becoming unbearably tight around your body.

At the same time, you could tell that from the way he was building it he didn’t understand what he was doing. You can see through his little looking glass but Jevil might not have even realized he owned one in the first place. If that's true then… maybe he thinks he is giving you a choice? Even if in reality that isn’t the case...

But you weren’t going to accept his victory without a small dollop of your own. “Jevil… if I go on this date with you… will you accept me as your friend?” You cautiously utter, making the words as smooth and easy to digest as possible. Jevil’s smile closes into a more depressed form, as his eyes lower. His twitching body moves slower and his hand comes back to him and lays across his chest.

“WHEN OUR LITTLE PLAY TODAY STOPS… IF YOU ONLY SEE ME AS ANOTHER ACTOR WITH YOU ON THE STAGE…” The energy in his voice drops like a fumbled football. His eyes stare back at you, a bittersweet lullaby playing inside. “...I WILL, WILL .” His line is hesitant to leave his mouth. You could see him holding back another sentence in his scrunching up face.

A drop of smugness writhes inside your soul. At least you were able to squeeze that out of him. If you go on this date you won’t have to deal with his hugs for a whole week and you can finally put him on the road to recovery. Finally, you can get started on your plan to fix the poor darkner! 

But… you can never be sure your plans are going to go as you wished… especially with this little fool around. Even so, you would take this chance with gritted teeth.

"Fine, Jevil... but if you call yourself my boyfriend during our date, I'm roundhouse kicking you into next week..." Exits your mouth. It's over. Your answer has been said.

You were going to goddamn help him, and you were going to succeed. Whether he liked it or not...

You choose this and you promise that it will matter. 


	11. Blood Stress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything has a breaking point.

The jester's entire face explodes into overwhelming joy from your answer. He grabs both sides of his head, his tail wagging vigorously behind him. “NU-HA!! YES, YES!! SO EXCITED, EXCITED!!” He floats up off of the ground and does a flip, laughing heavily to himself.

“BWA HA HA! CHAOS, CHAOS!!” He turns back to you, a mischievous gleam in his stare. “I KNEW, KNEW YOU WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO RESIST MY CHARM, CHARM!!” He winks at you, and he presses his gloved hand against his lips, kissing them then he lowers them down, blowing the loving gesture back to you.

You layout your palm facing the fool, in front of you and catch the imaginary kiss from the air. You bring your other hand up and pretend to tear the kiss in half. You throw both of the broken fake ends on the ground next to you.

You cross your arms, pouting at Jevil’s teasing. You wouldn’t be able to resist going out with him… but that's because you don't really have the option not to. Jevil is as charming as a rattlesnake, Although instead of his tail ratting to ward off other creatures, he uses his annoying laughter.

Speaking of his obnoxious giggles, Jevil bursts out laughing from your little act of defiance. “UEE HEE HEE!! SUCH A CUTE LITTLE THING!” The fool wraps his tail around himself and he throws his arms out in front of him, his palms facing you.

“MY WORLD!! I LOVE, LOVE YOU SO MUCH I CAN HARDLY STAND IT!” You could see the yellow in his eyes rapidly change to pure pink, with the heart rising out of the middle of his pupils. The corners of your mouth tug downward, as you roll your eyes at the fool.

“Whatever Jevil. Have fun on the first and ONLY date I’m going to have with you.” You say, glaring at the fool. He better actually keep his promise on this like he said because if you have to go on another date with him you might just end up throwing yourself off of the top of the castle.

His long ears twitch as he cups his hand over his ear, and leans it in closer to you. “IS THAT A CHALLENGE I HEAR, HEAR?” The jester claps his hands together bring his head back where it was supposed to be, as his excited grin turns to a playful smirk. “HE HE HE!! NOT ONE TO LOSE, LOSE!!”

You blink at the clown antics annoyed with his oh-so-quirky and cute banter. “Cool.” You scratch the back of your neck. A scowl was plain on your face, quite irritated at the events that had just transpired, You raise an eyebrow, a thought dripping into your head. “Jevil weren't you supposed to be baking me something…?” You tilt your head, vaguely interested in hearing his answer.

His hands both slap either side of his agape mouth, and he gasps. “OH!” His vision dashes to the clock on the wall of the room which proudly displayed the time as ten o’clock. Your forehead wrinkles as a groan escapes your lips. Have you really been up for that long? You showed up at Seams place around five this morning...

God, the adrenaline must be the only thing keeping you from feeling the effects of your lack of sleep…

Jevil pouts his lips out as his arms cross over one another and he taps his foot against the non-existent ground beneath him. “AH! THAT'S NO FUN, FUN! NO TIME LEFT TO BAKE...”

He says grumbling out his words, like a child complaining about how ‘unfair’ everything is. His gaze moves up to the ceiling, his hand coming up to scratch under his chin. “UNLESS…” His ears perk up as his mouth explodes into a smile. “NU-HA!” His tail flicks back and forth behind him.

“BWA HA HA!! THE ULTIMATE CHAOS! UEE HEE HEE!!” He laughs out like a Saturday morning cartoon villain. For a moment you wonder if you should duck down behind the chair just in case but… you don't think Jevil would be this on the nose if he was planning anything truly evil. He performs a frontflip, then tilts his head back to you, his teeth glistening.

“I MUST DEPART, DEPART MY WORLD!! I MUST PREPARE, PARE!! MAKE THIS NIGHT THE BEST YOU EVER COULD DREAM!!” He expectedly looks at you, waiting for you to respond to his sudden departure.

You raise your hand waving it at the hyper fool, staring at him with disgruntled apathy. “Alright...” While the idea of him baking something for you still made disgust fill up your lungs… him doing that for you would make him leave you alone… if only for a little bit.

Jevil giggles as he grabs his cheek nuzzling into it his gloved palms. “HE HE HE! SO PRECIOUS... “ He gushes and you purse your lips at him. He brings together both of his hands, forming a heart shape with his digits. “UEE HEE HEE! SEE YOU AGAIN SOON, SOON! BYE, BYE, MY WORLD!” He winks at you and the next second he was no longer there.

You force air to exhale out of your nose, lowering your head off of the back of the cushioned chair. You bring your hands up to massage your temples as your mind starts hurting like someone was using it as a drum.

Everything is pain.

Your body aches and tingles from where the goblin pressed himself against you. Your muscles complain about how tense you keep them and your soul was quietly weeping about how tired it was from the emotional rollercoaster that Jevil just strapped you on.

And on top of it all, you only have four hours until you have to see that bastard again.

How wonderful...

“Oh, you poor thing.” A familiar voice utters from out of nowhere. You scream bashing yourself against the side of your chair, accidentally tipping the furniture over in the process.

You fall face-first to the floor, further aggravating your unbearable headache and causing the rest of your body to ache from the fall. The voice chuckles calm and collected in a way that made all of your flight instincts fade. Oh, wait… That’s Seams voice.

Seam…It's just Seam… The darkner that said he was going to protect you and proceeded to do no such thing.

Your frown deepens as you raise your face off the ground, turning it over to the big purple cat himself.

“Ha ha ha. Oh are you alright, (Y/N)? I hadn't expected such an explosive reaction from you…” His calming, concerned voice was a breath of fresh air from the grating voice of the other Joker. His orange button eyes shimmed in the light like the angel the darkner was to you. But this angel has fallen in your eyes and you bare your teeth at him.

“Seam! Where the hell were you?” You yell out letting out your frustration, as you bring yourself to your knees, steadily making your way back up to a standing position. “You said that you would be there if he tried anything! He managed to embrace me twice and guess who wasn’t there to stop it.” You pointed accusingly at the old man. “You! Did you just lie about protecting me?”

The old cat's ears perk up. “Lie…?” Somberly the words trickle out of his mouth as his eyes soften at you. “(Y/N), I told you to call out to me if you required my presence…” He adjusts his brown cloak. “I was using that as an indicator to know when you… needed me to step in…” 

Your eyes widen, as your mouth falls agape. “I… Uhh…” Your once pointing hand comes up to scratch the back of your neck, a light blush painting itself on your features.

“...I hadn’t even thought of doing that… to be honest.” In your mind, you were cursing at yourself. If only you had remembered that… It was nice to know that Seam didn’t just leave you in the grasps of the mad jester but it also stung to know that you could have prevented a good deal of heartache.

“When someone's touching me like that… it's hard for me to think most of the time.” A shame is building itself a nice little home inside your soul. 

You are such an idiot… you could have gotten Seam to step in at any time but the idea of it just completely drained itself from your head. Worse of all, Seam had to watch Jevil and you for three hours just waiting to help you, and you didn’t even remember to speak his name. Some kind of friend you are…

A smile spreads on his face, a smile of understanding and reassurance. “Ah yes… that makes sense.” His ears press against the back of his head, as his paw shoots up and forms a fist in front of his mouth. “I should have taken that into consideration... “

You awkwardly scratch at your other arm, the blush on your face going a shade deeper. “... Ummm...” You avert your eyes from the cat, looking back at the old coot’s couch.

The pile of chunks of drywall and dust surrounded the area and your teeth clench from looking at the destruction you caused. You knew that Seam could fix it with the flick of his wrist but you didn’t enjoy damaging other darkners property nevertheless.

“I’m sorry about all of this…” You mumble out, kicking at the ground.

“Oh? Ah ha ha ha…” The Joker’s voice was light as a feather. “No need to apologize… I’m quite used to fixing up damage.” He raises his paw in the air and all of the drywall follows suit.

He points one of his digits upwards, and all of the scraps of the ruined ceiling flies back up to the hole they once occupied. You watched as it all formed back together, making the cracks in between the pieces disappear until all that was left was a perfectly normal-looking black ceiling.

A small smile stitches itself on your face. You had the feeling that no matter how many times you saw Seam work his magic, it would still be just as amazing watching it for the first time. No wonder why he's the court magician.

God, would you love to learn how to do that…

Maybe… you should ask Seam to teach it to you someday?

“It was strange to see Jevil so eager for physical contact…My… How worrisome... ” Seam muses out loud, taking you out of your thoughts. You glance towards him, raising an eyebrow. “It’s strange..?” Jevil seems like such a hugger… Is he only like that for you or something?

Seam combs his claws through his beard, a troubled look on his face. “He scarcely ever embraced me and I- “ His head tilts up to the sky. “-don’t recall him hugging his lightner much either…” The doll shakes his head, his face lowering, eyeing the brown blanket on the floor. “What an unfortunate situation for you my dear...”

A small sad smile forms on your face, it was nice to finally see him understand the special kind of hell Jevil puts you through. “Yeah… it does suck, but don’t worry I've survived things much worse than him.” You reassured the old man, yawning after your statement.

The cat’s ear twitches as his gaze travels back to you. “Ah… I would have never expected YOU to be optimistic…” He comments a light smirk plain on his snout.

You cross your arms, rolling your eyes at the doll. “Hey! I can be whatever I damn please…” You exclaimed, pouting from the mages teasing. It's true that optimism was not your forte but you needed to be positive. You're going on a date with Jevil for crying out loud! You need all the positivity you can get.

Seam chuckles clearly enjoying your reaction. “Well, (Y/N) for your sake... I hope that your right.” The ticking of the clock, only further reminding you of the small amount of time you have left...

You yawn, once again, your body pining for some rest. “Yeah… I hope so too…” You scratch your back, a wave of sleepiness flowing over you. You definitely were going to need some shut eye if you were going to survive

God, you wish you slept more last night… Although, you don’t regret coming to Seam and coming clean about all that was happening to you, It was rather therapeutic for you… and plus, you really enjoyed spending time with this lovable grandpa. 

Seam’s button eyes twist in their sockets, and your forehead wrinkles as you stare at his eyes, confused by how he was possibly able to do that. His eyes were stitched onto him… how can he turn them if there stitched down?

“(Y/N), I’m sorry to cut this meeting short but I do have some business to take care of today…” The cat holds his paw out and a croquet mallet pops into existence on top of his digits.

“The King of Hearts has invited me to play a game of croquet.” He gently places the head of the hammer on the floor. “You know that if one wants to keep their head that they mustn't be late to any of the King of Hearts activities.”

You nod your head, cracking your knuckles. A part of you was disappointed that the cat couldn't stay longer but you were happy that he has friends other than you. “Yeah, no… I should probably be heading out as well…” You eye the door, taking a couple of steps towards its four-suit finish, before reaching it and turning back to Seam. “I’ll see you tomorrow then right?”

Seam nods his head, and he waves at you.”I’ll have a piping hot cup of tea waiting for you when you arrive.” He response and you smile, happy that you have something to look forward to. “I’ll be there then, I guarantee it.” You promise the old cat, as you grab the doorknob turning it and opening the door. You step out into the hallway, and you lightly close the door behind you.

The black walls of the castle greeted you with the same dull monochrome colors. You would think that the royalty would want more than just the same shade of black on every single floor but no… It's always the same dull colors everywhere in this damn castle. You grumble walking your way over to the stairs and making your way down its steps. 

You didn’t have to hide the frustration in your heart now… you were hiding the mind-boggling amount of stress to give seam some peace of mind but now that he wasn't here…

You were free to wear a scowl on your face that told the world to piss off… If you have to talk to another darkner today you swear you might explode. You stamp your feet down on the fourth floor and you can taste the sweet, sweet embrace of your bed. Only a couple more steps and you can enter snooze town...

But fate was a cruel, cruel mistress…

“I found them!!” Calls out a high pitched cheerful voice. You blink and are about to turn towards whoever said that but before you can something runs at breakneck speeds past you, causing you to spin around uncontrollably. You fling your hands at the wall as you try to steady yourself. Your vision blurry and your stomach threatened to throw up the very little food you had inside of it.

“Oh! Yep! That’s them.” Another voice attacks your eardrums. It had a lower pitch but it still carried the happy-go-lucky style of the first one you heard. You raise your head up, your eyesight finally coming back and you can finally make out the faces of whoever just span you around like that.

Two pink jigsaw shaped darkners stand in front of you. They have blissful smiles on their faces and their eyes are closed basking in glee. You believe these darkners were called Jigsawry’s…? Both have a yellow hard hat on that sat in between their giant mouse ears, making you pause, your lips pressing against each other.

Hard hats? That means they are a part of the puzzle masters construction unit… But what in the dark world were they doing here? Rudinn said that they were all working hard on creating a puzzle for the entrance of the Great Board. Were they already finished with it or something?

“La la la ~Oh! He’s is going to be so proud of us!” One’s squeaky voice gushes out, as it claps its hands together. The other one nodded its head, beaming with triumph. “We found them first! Fair and square!” You blink and tilt your head, confused about what exactly the two were talking about.

The high pitched one walks over to you and-

-It grabs your hand.

Such a simple little thing… Grabbing another's hand wasn't anything taboo or malicious… In fact, most normal darkners would be happy to hold hands with another.

But you were no normal darkener…

The second the Jigsawry made contact… it sparked something inside of you.

Something that had been building up for a while now.

Every time his hand brushed you…

Every time he caged you and held you in his arms…

And that one time he kissed your forehead…

Anger had been building inside of you…

Your eyes widen as your eyes focus on the contact the puzzle piece forced upon you.

Touching… Why the hell does this darkner think it's allowed to touch you?

Is this puzzle piece just like Jevil?! Does it think that it should be allowed to do whatever it wanted to you?!

And just like that… EVERYTHING went red…

“Come on! Let’s bring them down already.” Calls out its ear-splitting tone, as it starts walking trying to lead you away from where you were, sadly unaware of the change that had taken place inside of you.

An animalistic roar cuts through the air, and the Jigsawry freezes in place, slowly turning its head back towards you.Your hand clenched it’s tiny paw in a vice-grip as you give the coldest stare that anyone has ever seen. “How DARE you touch me?”

The Jigsawry’s eyes bulge out of its skull, and its mouth nearly hits the floor. “AHHH!! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!!!” It tugs on your hand with its other paw praying to escape your horrifying grasp. The other Jigsawry’s face turns to pure terror. “BARRY!!! THEY GOT BARRY!!!” It shrieks out, running wildly back in forth in panic.

A shadow goes across your face as you pull the unfortunate puzzle piece up into the air by their hand. Your unoccupied hand slams into the wall next to you, and your fist goes straight through the drywall. The pink darkner squirms trying to get away and a sadist smile forming on your features.

“How about I rip off your arm so you can’t do that again?” You pull your appendage out of the wall and inch it closer to the Jigsawry’s already caged arm. The pink darkners eyes almost pop out of their face entirely. “AHHH!!! NO, NO PLEASE DON’T!” It squeals tears raising in its eyes. 

Your smile grows as you lean into the darkners face. “You say that like you have a choice.” Your hand reaches his arm and you grab where his arm reaches his body and you pull down. A scream-sings through the air, and a waterfall of tears, pours down his face.

You chuckle. You weren't even applying enough pressure to remove his appendage yet here it is whining like the coward it is. You slowly start to use more of your strength, the sounds of its torment were like a lullaby to you. A lullaby of justice and retribution.

After all, this punk deserved everything that was happening to it.

“I’M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DIE BARRY!!” Shouts out the deeper vocals of the other Jigsawry, and an acute pain shoots through your head and your legs. You hiss, wincing away from the hurting sensation, accidentally dropping the Jigsawry in the process. You peek out of one of your eyes and the Jigsawry that had the audacity to touch you backpedals, its mouth nearly hitting the floor and its eyes were closed with a fountain of tears flowing out of it.

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE A GONER BARRY!” Calls out the deep-voiced mouse, embracing the other one. The abused Jigsawry starts crying out like a fountain, two puddles of water forming either side of the puzzle piece. “THANK YOU SO MUCH MIKE!” The Jigsawry hiccups, wrapping its arms around the other one and it holds its face up to the sky. “I LOVE YOU!”

You freeze, time slowing down. The way that puzzle piece said that… It was genuine. It was kind. It was…

Real love.

This mouse… wasn’t like Jevil...it wasn't going to force you to do anything with it and touch you whenever you please…

It was… just a darkner... it wasn't anything even close to being Jevil...

Your eyes widen painfully wide as your breathing becomes uncontrollable. You reach your arm out to them. “I-I didn’t mean to-” The puzzle pieces gasp dramatically when they see your arm coming towards them and their jaws hit the floor.

“AHHHHHHH!! THEY’RE COMING STRAIGHT TOWARDS US!!!” Shrieks out the higher-pitched voice and the deeper voiced one picks up the other Jigsawry in its arms.

“It screams out, and in a flash, it dashes away from you at the speed of light, shouting out “RUNNNNN!!!” As they took off, a cloud of dust forms from the speed of the Jigsawry’s run, causing you to cough out the disgusting particles.

The dust cloud disappears as soon as it came, and you stare down the hallway in disbelief. You… lost control? How long has it been since you…

You shake your head. No, knows not the time to dwell on the past. Your eyes lower moving down to your hand, a simple touch. That's all it took to set you off. You’re eyes narrow, it didn't deserve that… it didn’t deserve that at all.

Your gaze raises up, and you wince looking at the large crack in the castle’s wall. Oh… The kings were going to be pissed about that. You stroke the damage you dealt, a sigh sliding out of your mouth. Just another thing you have to worry about...

You kick up some of the dust on the floor, a dullness filling your eyes. God, what is Jevil doing to you? You exploded in anger at an innocent darker just because you're frustrated with him…Even before when you would act cold to get the other darkners to leave you alone you never got like THAT. You haven't gotten like that since…

You raise your head, your soul pumping faster than ever before.

You need to look at that again.

You rush towards your room, not even flinching as you, shove yourself through the Rudinn-shaped hole in the door, destroying the door even more in the process. All that was left was a wooden frame, and you couldn’t care less about what you just did.

You need it… You need it right now…

You pull open the one used drawer in your dresser ripping the entire thing out in the process. All that you had in their… was your old clothing, The outfit you wore before you got this job. A light pair of leather pants, a leather shirt, and a dark colored cloak. You almost missed wearing this but hey, if those two report you to the kings… You might have to wear this old outfit once again.

But you weren't looking for just your clothing, no, you were after something so much more precious. You toss the leather clothing to the side and focus your gaze at the bottom of the draw.

You breathe in, and you breathe out, counting to three inside of your head. You press down your nail into the wooden drawer and you draw. You carved in a statement that you would never forget… one that will be with you until the end of time. One that filled you with guilt but determination at the same time:

Don’t forget, I’m with you in the dark.

The bottom of the drawer throws itself open. A small grin forms on your face, your magic compartment spell is working just as intended. A perfect hidden hidey-hole that didn't have any indication that it was there… You went the extra mile to make sure that no one could stumble upon this.

You reach inside the drawer, and pull out a single charred photograph… one that meant more to you than anything else in the world. 

The day this was taken was one that you would remember forever for better.. Or for worse.

You flip the picture over and you can feel yourself relax instantly. There they were. “My lightner…” You whisper, stroking the part of the photo where their adorable grin was. There cute little face was barely in the frame. This was… your first real trip outside with your lightner. The blue sky and wonderful green grass if the background, you could almost smell the scent of the pines.

You chuckle as you remember how your lightner insisted on hopping into frame instead of just letting you hold them up, And there you were to the right of them, Unable to keep your eyes on the camera, instead you kept your eyes on your lightner, making sure they didn’t accidentally hurt themselves.

To the left of your lightner was a burned charred edge, that made you grimace just thinking about who used to be there. You had to burn them out of the picture… you couldn't handle having to see THERE face every time you wanted to see your lightners goofy grin again.

But this day still brings back horrific memories that you would rather not think about… even with there face burned out of the picture.

Because that day… they weren’t the bad guy.

You were the one that had to wash the blood off your hands...

The shining slit of light that hit your curled up toes, The raging sharp toned yells, rattling the scarcely decorated area around you. The closet door hid you away from the horrors that lay just beyond.

You could taste the tension in the atmosphere, you were shaking uncontrollably head pressed down against your legs. You knew what was coming… you’ve seen this play out more times then you could count.

First, The cries… You would here your lightner cry out and beg for mercy that they would never grant.

Then, the furious bloodcurdling voices grow larger, sending a dark shadow around the world.

And finally… You wince, biting down on your tongue… You hate this part the most...

A loud bang echos around the room and then a scream…

This innocent shriek of terror has haunted this house for years repeating daily. again, and again, and again, and again.

A bang then a scream… a bang then a scream... over and over again.

It was like clockwork, clockwork that’s gears were crooked and deformed from a sledgehammer hitting its cogs.

A sour-taste of blood scorched your nostrils. Blood… blood… blood…

It was unrelenting never-ending its assault on your senses,

Then after there “Punishment” They would leave them bruised and bleeding. You would open the closet door and heal them to the best of your ability…

But that day it was different...

That day your lightner had been outside...

Those two would NEVER let your lightner go outside…

Something inside of you changed when you heard the bang… but no scream.

There was always a scream...

If there wasn't a scream then…

You saw the blood you were so used to smelling trickle into the closet…

Your lightner would always beg you to not intervene...

They were afraid that if they learned you were here… you would be taken away from them.

But at that moment everything went red… red like the blood your lightner spilled daily.

You learned an important lesson that day…

Some… don’t deserve any mercy…

Your hands were stained from that day forward, but you still managed to save your lightner from the cold embrace of death.

But from then on you saw nervousness in their eyes whenever you were around.

Afraid. You had killed another and no matter how many times you tried to make it up to them…

Terror would be the main emotion in their eyes.

You would always justify what had happened, After all:

“I only wanted to protect you.”


	12. Hate at First Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jealously is a mighty weapon.

Time was a strange concept. Some days pass by in the blink of an eye, others last years. It was hard to say how long you stared at that bittersweet image. Your fingers caressing the lightners face you know you would never be able to hold again. A teardrop staining the bright colorful picture. 

“I love you...” You whispered out, nearly choking on the words as the floodgates opened. You wished you could have said that to them one more time. You wished you could have seen them one more time.

But you did, didn’t you? That dream you had last night… Your eyes move towards the ceiling as you sniffle, trying to hold back some of your sadness. It didn’t feel like a dream. The crunch of the grass beneath your feet, the sun kissing your skin, the warmth of your lightners arms around you.

It felt so real…

A slight smile appears on your face as your eyes trail back down to the polaroid picture in your hand. Your lightner said they forgave you for what you did. Your finger caresses your lightners smiling face in the photograph. Your happy that you got to hear them say that even if what they said was most likely just a figment of your imagination.

But if it was real… you know you don't deserve that forgiveness.

Just look at what you did to that poor puzzle piece darkner. You almost ripped an innocent darkners arm off… and for what reason? All that was needed to pull you over the edge was stress and a touch… that was it. That's what caused you to nearly mutilated some poor bastard.

You don’t deserve forgiveness.

“(Y/N)...” Your eyes widen, as the moisture in your throat evaporates. Rudinn… Oh god, Rudinn was here. You were excited to see Rudinn again at some point but… not like this… god, not like this! You lift your head up. Rudinn is standing right outside the massacred remains of the door.

His spine was standing up straight and he was stiff as a board a far cry from the relaxed serpent you knew. His worried gaze trails down to the photo. A spike of panic combs over you as you press the photo tightly to yourself and hide it in your hands.

You knew full well that you couldn't hide it back in the draw. You would have to reverse the spell to put it back and...

You can’t let him see this… You can’t let any darkener see this…

You can’t risk him asking what it is or getting curious about what's on it.

You don't know what they would do to you if they found out…

“Oh! Hello Rudinn.” You try to say as casually as possible hiding the coarseness of your throat and forcing the tears back into your eyes. You didn’t want him to see you crying like this. “(Y/N)... What’s going on…?” His emerald eyes meet yours. The disappointment in his gaze shot an arrow through your heart. Your breathing quickens, does he know what you did to that poor darkner?

His eyes hit the floor with a definite tense frown filling his features. “Man… I’m not very good at this…but just...” He sheepishly scratches the back of his head as a chuckle comes out of his mouth.

“I never expected you to do anything like THIS…” He lifts his dulled, tired eyes back up to you. They bored into your soul, begging for an answer… a logical reason. You couldn't find the words to explain. Hell… You don’t even know how you could explain…

Staring at the Rudinn before you, you would never expect a conversation with him to feel this cold… this tense. Guilt was chewing at the bottom of your soul, and you look away from the darkners justified crestfallen attitude like the coward you were. “Rudinn… ” You plainly state unable to conjure any other words. The beating of your heart was like the ticking of a clock, making you aware of each passing second of silence between you two.

“(Y/N)... what happened to you?” Asks the snake. He sounded so drained. So tired and frustrated with what hand life has given him. But through it all, he still tried his best to sound calm to you. “You've been gone since last night and like…you didn’t even tell me anything about where you were going or anything.” Your eyes widen, as your mind starts cursing at the past you. You should have left him a letter or something to tell him that you might be gone for a while…

You are such an idiot.

You are a horrible friend.

“Rudinn, I-i didn’t even think to inform you of what I was doing… I’m… sor-.” “...and when I finally get to see you again you’ve… hurt one of my friends.” The Rudinn interrupts as he slithers slowly closer to you. Your eyes darken. He's moving hesitantly, cautiously...

Is he… scared of you?

You clutch the picture closer to yourself, a heavy breath exiting your nostrils.

Yes… Yes, he’s scared of you… Who wouldn’t?

A sigh exits the green darkners throat. “(Y/N), you can talk to me about like, whatever's going on.” The snake comforts, his voice shifting to a whisper. “You’re my partner and I want to help you in any way I can…” He was sincere with his proposal… Of course, he was. This is Rudinn after all… But why did he have to be so forgiving…? So willing to help…even when he’s afraid?

You don’t deserve it.

“Rudinn… Am I going to lose my job…?” You ask and a cold chill goes down your spine. You pray that they have mercy on you… You don’t want to leave. You would no longer have a bed… or a warm shelter to sleep in again. Your neck hurts just thinking about the dirt pile you called your bed before you got this job but even worse, you would leave your friends. You couldn’t handle a world where you couldn’t see Rudinn and Seam anymore… But you guaranty that Jevil would still bother you. He wouldn’t give up so easily.

Rudinn’s gaze trails away from you. “I… Don’t know.” He twiddles his fingers nervously. “You assaulted a Jigsawry in the puzzle construction unit… That’s a serious crime.” Your eyes peer back-up at the snake for a split second. His face was scrunched up, filled with so many emotions it was hard to guess what the darkner was thinking. Despair… regret... worry... So many negative emotions…

You can feel your soul shatter in your chest. You dip your head down and a solitary tear falls down your face. “T-they're going to fire me...aren’t they?” You tighten your hold on the photo even harder, bending its form severally. You can hear Rudinn slither over to you.

“Hey, no. Don’t start crying, dude.” He lowers himself down to your height, his words trying to comfort you in your moment of hysteria. His hand starts to moves over to your shoulder. Your eyes dart to his hand in horror, a whimper exiting your mouth.

Rudinns eyes go slightly wide and he quickly brings his hand back to himself. “Oh! Sorry about that...” He scratches the back of his neck from the awkward moment before he brings his attention back to you.

“Look. You did something pretty bad. I’m not going to act like you didn’t.” His hand comes out, palm up as his head tilts to the side. “But I’m sure that if you just explain what’s going on, the kings will understand and you can keep your job… alright?” Your teeth clench as your forehead becomes covered in wrinkles.

“Rudinn… that's not going to work…” Jevil was a joker. A high ranking member of the castle while you were just a guard. You are replaceable. He is not. Hell, If anything telling them about Jevils antics that might incentivize them to fire you so Jevil can stop being distracted from his job.

The serpent’s face crumples in confusion as his smile falls. “...Why wouldn’t it?” He slightly shortens the distance between you two, searching your crying features for some sort of hint that they refused to give. “(Y/N) can you please tell me what's going on?” He begs, absolutely needing to know.

You look away, knowing that the serpent deserves to know about Jevil. You take a deep breath. You bite your lip as you let go of the picture with one of your hands, wiping the tears off your face. “Rudinn… someone has been-” You pause trying to think of the right word to describe Jevil’s involvement in your life. “-harassing me.”

Rudinn’s frown carves deeper into his face. “Harassing you?” You nod your head, and sympathy wells up in the snake's eyes. “That doesn't sound fun…” He mutters as if he was thinking out loud.

“Do you know who?” The green darkner asks, raising an eyebrow. You roll your eyes, nearly spitting out the next words out of your mouth. “Oh… I know him far too well …” You grumble, annoyed at just the thought of that jester bastard. Rudinn blinks, a little taken aback by your sudden spike of anger. “Oh… well, who is it?” He innocently asks.

You open your mouth, about to snitch on that purples devils actions, but Rudinns eyes suddenly open up fully in surprise, staring at something just behind you. at something behind you.

Before you can react to the snake's mood change, a pair of arms wrap around your waist, as a sudden warmth plops itself on your shoulders. Disgust and horror bubble up inside of you. You don’t even need to look to know exactly who the hell is touching you.

“OH, POOR RUDINN!” The entitled bastard that is rubbing his face on your shoulders shouts out. “DON’T YOU KNOW? IT’S YOU, YOU!” The world goes a bit blurry from your rapid breaths. Your soul beat was as fast as a space shuttle. Why? Why did he have to show up now?

You protectively cover your picture with your arms as time slows down around you. If Jevil sees you have something on you, he will no doubt will try to sneak a peek at whatever it is. You can’t let that happen…

You have to find somewhere to hide this… anywhere to hide this

Just make sure Jevil doesn't see that you have it.

You start searching the room like a madman for a place to secure the picture. Rudinn looks at both you and the jester utterly bewildered to what is happening around him. “...What?” Escapes his throat, as he tries to wrap his mind around what is happening.

“HE HE HE!! YOU’RE THE ONE HARASSING MY WORLD… DON’T YOU SEE, SEE!!” Darkness lain inside of his voice, threatening the snake with every single syllable of his speech, as his coiling arms tighten around you like a cobra strangling its prey. You whimper, his grip only making you more painfully aware of the danger you were in.

No, not just you… Rudinn was in danger as well. You could feel the jealousy pour out of the jester and lord knows that hell hath no fury like an envious jester. Oblivious to the fool’s tone, Rudinn’s eyes narrow as he scratches his chin.

“But... I’m there partner? And I don’t think that I’m like, harassing them?” He questions, staring at you for confirmation of his answer. You only sigh as your answer, grateful but also annoyed at the snake's problems with context clues. Jevil nuzzles into your neck as soon as you sigh, and you can feel anger radiating from the fool.

“OH…? YOU REALLY AREN’T GOOD AT THIS GAME ARE YOU?” Exits the fool's mouth, almost amused by the snake's answer. Lucky enough, that seems to have shifted his focus away from you because his grip on you has gotten looser. This was it. This was your chance to hide the picture before Jevil even sees a glimmer of its existence. And luckily enough… you think you know the spot you can hide this…

You stare at the skirt of your bed and take a deep breath, before ripping yourself out of Jevil’s embrace. You fling the top half of your torso under the bed and quickly turn your eyes up to the mattresses frame. The frame was made of metal with bars going across select points to support the mattresses weight and those bars are what you were looking for. You slip the picture right between one of the bars and the mattress itself, hiding it well from the world around it.

Triumph flows over you like the ocean as you beam at the victory you had achieved. You had won, you made one thing today be in your favor and goddamn after all the stuff that has happened you feel good one decision you have made.

“OH! (YN), ARE YOU TRYING TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK WITH ME, ME? UEE HEE HEE!!” His emotions had done a 180. No longer threatening or angry, instead his voice was filled with playful giddiness. You sigh out of relief, grateful that he didn’t spin that into being something negative about him.

“IN THAT CASE-” Your relief is swallowed whole as you feel his hands seize your ankles. “I FOUND YOU.”

I found you.

The world around you changes in a fraction of a second. You can feel the rain spattered down like pieces of broken glass. You can hear the thunder rumbled and roared as a surge of lightning clapped the soil nearby. The wind… ruthlessly, bending the trees and the world around you with its cruel whims. Tears sprout in your eyes. No… No! Not again, not again! Don’t think of that day… ANYTHING BUT THAT DAY!

Your blood-curdling scream rips through the air, filled with a terror and horror that Jevil could never replicate. “LET GO! LET GO!!!” You yell out, flailing your legs violently. The jester nearly instantly lets go of your legs and you slip the rest of your body under the bed. Your legs curl up to your chest and your arms wrap around your violated limbs.

Stop thinking. STOP THINKING.

Come on, (Y/N)... Deep breaths!

In… out…

Your soul feels like it’s on fire. Your entire body is soaked. The blood and water mixing together to keep your body frozen in the ice temperatures.

In… out…

You were biting your tongue so hard that you could taste the blood fill your mouth. With bloodshot eyes, you listened to the world around you like a mouse looking out for a fox.

In… out…

The world is melting around you. The bloodloss has finally started hitting your body hard. You might die here…You hope you die here…

In… out…

“WHAT A BAD, BAD HIDING PLACE~” The fool sings out, his head peeking in under the bed's skirt, startling you out of your goddamn mind. 

You shriek, jerking upwards out of fright. You wince as your noggin hits the metal bed frame. The metal bar bends from the impact and your vision goes white as an earthquake shatters your mind. Your hands come up to hold your abused cranium as you breathe air through your closed teeth.

The abominable laughter of the jokers tears through reality. “BWA HA HA!!! CHAOS, CHAOS!!” The fool rolls across the ground, clutching his gut as if what he saw was the funniest thing he has ever seen. Through the pain, you give a sharp glare to the fool, growling at his infantile behavior.

“Jevil, dude stop.” Rudinn’s voice cuts through the scene like a knife, turning your blood ice cold. It was firm, with an authority that you didn’t know Rudinn could give till now. “They clearly don't like what you're doing to them so just stop it.” You swear that Jevil started laughing even harder after he said that. Slamming his fist on the floor with tears coming out of his eyes. You had to watch as his laughing got more and more intense, you were staring at him like a deer in the headlights.

Every second that he laughed felt like the ticking of a bomb like he was going to explode any moment and hurt someone. A sudden sense of impending doom hits you like a plastic bag in a windstorm. This isn’t good. This is the opposite of good. The skirt fell back down where Jevil once was, him having disappeared from the spot.

“BWA HA HA!! QUESTION, QUESTION FOR YOU!! HOW MUCH DOES MY (Y/N) MEAN TO YOU, YOU?” He emphasizes the word “my” drawing it out, clearly trying to get the snake to understand his so-called ownership of you. Even though you couldn’t see the fool from where you were you could taste the disdain and evil grin on the tip of your tongue. Just the thought sent shivers down your spine.

“What?” The perplexed sound of Rudinn takes the center stage. “I’m their partner, man… But even if I wasn't that doesn't change the fact that you're harassing them.” You can't help but pity how hard Rudinn is trying to reason with the jester.

You don’t think any argument can get through his thick skull. “PARTNER…” The jester spits out the word like a venomous snake. “...SO YOU’RE THEIR PARTNER? HA HA HA!!! YOU’RE A GUARD? HE HE!” The jester's mockery was an avalanche of hatred and disgust. His words hit with loathing and destruction.

“UEE HEE HEE!! YOU HAVE SO LITTLE MAGIC! YOU COULDN'T EVEN PROTECT THE KINGDOM AGAINST A DUST BUNNY! BWA HA HA!!!” The fools bullying and laughter only grew louder and louder. Every word out of his mouth was revolting and you grit your teeth, pure anger surging through you. How dare he? How dare he talk to Rudinn like that?

“HA HA HA!! SO PATHETIC. MY WORLD DESERVES A BETTER PARTNER THAN YOU.” Jevils voice goes deeper, more intimidating as he bullies one of your only friends for being weak… Rudinn may be weaker than him but hell he is more of a darkner than Jevil will ever be! Determination floods your soul as you quickly crawl to the other side of the bed.

“H-hey that's a really uncool thing to say.” Answers the Rudinn, stuttering slightly with a clear hit to his confidence. You reach the skirt of the bed crawling out from underneath, hearing Rudinn so badly affected by Jevil’s bullying fills you with even more determination.

“MY WORLD HAS NO USE FOR YOU… JUST RUN ALONG AND NEVER BOTHER US AGAIN…” Hisses out of the clown's throat, feeding the raging fire inside of you with more timber. You slam your hand into the bed, as you stand back up off of the floor, drawing the attention of both of the darkeners. Both rudinn and Jevil take their eyes off each other placing their gazes on you.

Your dagger-sharp eyes dig into the wretched little fool before you. “Jevil, I will rip your GODDAMN heart out if you keep talking to him like that!” you yell out, seething with anger and fury. Jevil’s mouth falls open, but it quickly closes into a smirk, as a waterfall of snickering pours out. He floats over to your bed, stepping on it with his oversized clown shoes, which made you turn your nose up in disgust.

The jester stares down at you his eyes perfectly yellow to your complete confusion. He seemed more entertained by your statement than anything else. He suddenly gasps in fake exaggerated shock “OH! MY DEAR WORLD… DON’T TELL ME!!” He rolls his eyes, gesturing at the poor abused Rudinn behind him.

“HE HE. YOU’VE GONE AND DEVELOPED SOME… UNACCEPTABLE FEELINGS FOR THIS DARKENER…HA HA.” Something was horribly off in every word he said. There was something there that you never heard out of him before, and you pray you never hear it again. You can feel your legs tremble underneath you, as the atmosphere grows much denser.

“J-jevil I swear I don’t have any feelings for him!” Stammers out of you, as you take a step back away from the bed. He does a small hop on the bed landing right on the part of the sheets in front of you. He bends over, forcefully gripping his hand around your chin, and he jerks your head up. Your vision fills with newly amber eyes, and sharp golden teeth ready to bite your head clean off.

“HE HE HE… I’M BETTER THAN HIM, RIGHT?” He tilts his head, madly boring his eyes into you. His other hand comes up to your face tracing your lips. Your lips twitch uncomfortably against his creepily gentle touch. “HE HE. IT WOULD BE SO MUCH MORE FUN, FUN IF I WAS YOUR PARTNER INSTEAD...”

As soon as he said that, it was like a lightbulb turned on in his head. The joker's pupils expand as his face brightens immensely. “NU-HA! YES, YES! THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I CAN DO!’ Your jaw drops in horror as you stare at him in disbelief. Does he really think he can do that? You shiver in his grasp, letting your throat down just enough to speak.

“H-how? I’m a guard and you’re a joker… We can’t be partners if our job isn’t the same!” You say trying to reason with the unreasonable creature. You did not want to lose Rudinn as your partner, no way no how and you DEFINITELY didn’t want this discount pennywise to replace him.

His eyes curve upward even more. “BWA HA HA! I CAN DO ANYTHING!” His caging hand becomes unbearably tight as he pulls his own face even closer.

“-AND I’LL DO ANYTHING IF IT MEANS THAT MY WORLD, STAYS MINE…” He purrs slightly as his other hand strokes your chin. You can’t believe it. He’s serious about this. He's going to try to take away the first friend you made down here… and he's going to become your partner.

You would have to work with him... day in day out.

Oh god… You would have to sleep in the same room as him.

You have to hold back the bile building up at the back of your throat. Everything about that sounded like your own special version of hell. Although… You were most likely getting fired anyway so does it even matter if you let him think that you will be his partner.Yes, yes it does.

There's a small chance you will keep your job and that is enough of a chance for you to fight against it. But how…? How could you make him forget about this horrible topic? How can you get this idea out of his mind?

You had an idea.

But god… You were going to hate it. At least it didn’t involve touching him…

Compliment him. You can do this… Just compliment him. You know how obsessed he is with you and him hearing you compliment him would completely derail his train of thought. This plan will totally work you can feel it in your soul. 

Just say something flattering to him and this whole fiasco will be over. You flutter your eyelashes at the far-too-close fool and you can feel that vomit come back up. You choke it all down as you feel his other hand start petting your head.

“Hey… you know…” Ideas for a compliment flee your head in terror of being used towards the overly touchy jester. All that fills your vision were those bastards now, yellow eyes, studying you and playing with your hair with extreme concentration.

“Your eyes! They’re ummm…” You mumble out, your eyes darting away from the intensity of the fool's gaze. “Really interesting…” Your mouth felt unclean after saying all of that… and you had a feeling that it would take more than soap to make this go away…

“O-OH?” Yelps the jester, his arms jump backward, his hands both simultaneously leaving your face. A relief soars through you from having your face finally untainted by his touch again. “MY WORLD...?”

Your eyes travel back to him and you can see his eyes sparkle at you, with an embarrassed flush covering his face. “...WHAT DO YOU MEAN, MEAN?” Asks the fool, and you curse under your breath at the fact that you are going to have to elaborate on that filthy lie you just said.

You tap your foot on the ground as you think of a possible statement to say. “You see… well.” You lift up your face looking straight into his eyes. You have to make this one count and you're damn sure that you can give him a great performance.

“The way your eyes change colors is… c-cool.” You stutter on the last word, fumbling to find something that was… nice to say, but not so much so that Jevil would be able to take it to mean something greater.

“NU-HA!” Cries out the jester his face turning the darkest shade of purple you had ever seen. He hides his face in his hands. “I CAN’T TAKE IT~!” His upper body drops down to your bed and he buries his face into your covers.

Your eyes narrow, you were going to have to clean your blanket before sleeping tonight because there is no way you would want to sleep on something with the scent of Jevil spewing from it. “OH! MY WORLD~” He squeals, cuddling himself on your bedspread.

You roll your eyes, glad that your plan worked but upset with the fact you had to sacrifice your dignity… and your bedspread. “Ahem-” The clearing of a throat draws your attention away from the lovestruck fool, currently nuzzling into your blanket while squealing like a toddler.

Rudinn’s white and green scales shimmer in front of you as the snake slithers closer to you, twiddling his fingers against each other. He looks down to the ground with a troubled expression. “...I think I understand now…” He whispers out, still a little shaken from the bombardment of hurtful comments flung at him.

You put your pointer finger up to your lip, indicating for Rudinn to be quiet. You didn’t want him to break Jevil out of his state of mania with his vocals. You bring your other arm up and point your finger to the exit.

Rudinn follows your finger to the exit, and then looks back you, his emerald eyes forming pity and a smug of worry inside of them. You shoot him a quick grin, trying to reassure him that you’ll be fine. He blinks, clearly not buying your reassurance; but nevertheless, he slithers towards the decimated door. He grabs the door frame, glancing at you one last time before he sadly mopes away.

Your face falls as you watch him go. Yes, it was a good thing that he knew about Jevil now but… he looks so concerned for you that you can't help but feel bad about it. He shouldn’t have to worry about you like that… Your train of thought derails as you feel something grab onto your hand.

“UEE HEE HEE!! LOVE, LOVE!!” Shouts out the obnoxious fool, having moved to the edge of your side of the bed. He quickly places your hand on his cheek, nuzzling into it. “NU-HA!! MY TRUE NEO CHAOS…”

You grab your arm tugging it out of Jevil’s hands with ease, you stagger back cautiously keeping your eyes glued to the jester. The fool chuckles, your actions not phasing him at all. “THE MORE YOU DENY ME, THE MORE I WANT, WANT YOU.~” He flirtatiously utters, staring at you with his magenta, loving eyes.

“I would rather you not…” You mumbled under your breath, taking another step back from the jesters resting place. The fools tail waves back and forth, as he cups his cheeks with his hands. “BWA HA HA. YOU CAN’T LEAVE ONCE YOU’VE BOARDED THE CAROUSEL.”

The frown covering your features extends out, as you massage the bridge of your nose. “I will throw myself off. Don’t test me Jevil...” You grumble, crossing your arms over each other. The fool places his hands down firmly on the bed. He flips his body over landing on the black ground below him on his two feet.

He stands up fully, smirking with a mischievous aura around him. “AFTER, TONIGHT, YOU’LL BE BEGGING ME TO START THE RIDE AGAIN.” He winks at you, sending a shudder of disgust down your spine. “Ughhh… You really think that a date that started with you making fun of my partner is going to impress me?” You roll your eyes, glaring at the fool. “If you think that, you must be a bigger idiot than I thought…”

“OH?” The jester's eyes widen as his hand comes up to cup his cheek. “OUR DATE HASN’T BEGUN.” He comments plainly as if it was an obvious fact. You throw out your arm in front of you. “What!” you yell out in confusion and anger. “What do you mean our date hasn’t started yet? You said you would get me whenever the date started!” The fool smiles at you sweetly before pointing a finger up to your rooms silent clock.

The time one fifty-five was proudly displayed by the clock's hands, mocking you and your plight. Your frustration had hit its peak. You had only agreed to be with him during the date. Not before. Not after. You feel lied to… betrayed by the deal you intended to keep.

“...Jevil, why are you here early…?” you ask through gritted teeth. Your fist is clenched painfully hard, begging you to just punch the bastard into the nearest wall, but… he would like it too much for it to be satisfying.

You look back at the fool who cheerfully chuckles in response. “ALL OF MY PLANNING WAS DONE, DONE BUT I STILL HAD AN HOUR LEFT BEFORE OUR FUN, FUN STARTED…” He says holding his arms out and balancing on one his tippy toes.

“UEE HEE HEE! I COULDN’T WAIT!!” He lifts up one of his legs balancing on the tips of only one of his feet. You slap one of your hands to your face, wishing nothing more than to be dead where you stood. None of this counted as in date-time... You still had an entire day worth of stuff to do with him. It will be a miracle if you survive...

“BW HA HA!!” The jester bends his knee down, jumping up in the air on a single foot, spinning backward and landing perfectly right in front of you. “TIME, TIME HAS CAUGHT UP TO US! DATE, DATE IS UPON US.”

You step one of your feet behind you, as you try to get him away from your personal bubble. The fool catches one of your hands, interlocking his fingers with yours, as he stares at you with his tongue clear out of his mouth, with eyes pink and begging for the love that you will never give.

“MY WORLD, YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE ME JUST AS MUCH AS I LOVE YOU.”


	13. Death By Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-date madness.

The crickets were chirping in unison blessing the land with there song. A gentle breeze was flying across the air rocking the world into a quiet slumber. The light had abandoned the ground below you that night, rendering your eyesight useless. 

The tree's leaves were rustling over the both of you, and the rocks and rubble underneath you were crunching as you moved over them. With every step you took the incline grew greater, making your trek harder on your traumatized form. Your legs were about to collapse under your own exhaustion as a shower of sweat pours down your face. 

You don’t think you would have had the strength to keep going if… THEY weren’t here, █████. Someone who’s very name you’ve had to scrub from your consciousness. It’s as if just thinking of their name brought them back to life in your head… giving them power over you. 

“Come on, (Y/N)!... We need to go up just a little further!” █████’s panting voice called out, there hand glued to your own, helping to guide you around the black abyss.

You clutched your lightners snoring frame close to you. Eye’s shut tight as they wiggled and whimpered in their slumber. You at the time wanted to comfort them, whisper in their ear that everything was going to be okay. But… you didn’t know if your voice would help ease them after what you did…

If anything it might have terrified them even more.

Suddenly, the footsteps in front of you stop, “Okay… I think we’re close…” █████ states, and you can hear them rummaging in their pockets. With a click, a flashlight turned the area in front of you into a pure blinding white. You wince, the light was burning your retinas “Hey! Couldn’t you have warned me before turning that thing on?”

You complained, huffing from the physical exhaustion. A chuckling comes from right beside you. “Maybe…” █████’s flicks the end of your nose, “But I like seeing you get annoyed~” 

Heat rose to your cheeks from his taunting, but it faded fast and a small smile replaced it. For you, at the time it was nice to see them joking around with you as they did before you… snapped. But now the whole interaction left a bitter taste in your mouth. 

They shine the flashlight's rays in front of them scanning the now visible, grassy terrain. They squint, swinging the light around them until stopping when a medium-sized brown rock takes up the majority of the rays light. There eyes shimmer and shine as the corners of there mouth turn further up word.

“Oh hell yeah! We stopped at just the right place!” You tilted your head confused by the lightners sudden outburst, raising an eyebrow. “A rock…?” You questioned. “...Is it a landmark or something?” 

█████ placed their flashlight in your open palm.“You’ll see.” They snickered, a tone that made you feel sick to your stomach now, They walked over to the smooth stone object. You aim the beams at them watching as they kneel down to the ground. 

They placed their hands on the underside of the rock and easily lifted it up. You’re eyes widened, surprised seeing the hollowed out underside of the boulder and the hole that the fake rock covered up.

“So this is where you…?” You started, impressed with them, and amazed at how hidden the place was from the rest of the world. It was a miracle. It was perfect for keeping out of sight. But even still, you wish you never took them up on their offer of helping you hide.

█████ gestured to the hole with a smile. “I hope you don’t mind living underground for a little, (Y/N)!” There cheery expression and their willingness to help you melted your fragile heart. 

If only you knew why they helped you then. If you knew how little you actually knew them you don’t think you would have stayed around. But instead, you had felt so grateful so undeserving of the so-called kindness of the lightner in front of you. And now seeing there promise fulfilled in front of you… 

Now when you look back at that scene you can only think about how happy they looked when you broke down crying, covered in crimson. You should have known better... You stared at down into the pit before you, a tear hitting the dirt beneath you “Why…? Why are you so nice to me?”

You cradled your lightners body with your other hand, pressing their warmth closer to you for comfort, as tears spilled down your face. “I-i’m a murder! I killed two innocent people!” 

█████ stared back at you, with their terrifying wide-eyed stare, when they sweetly smile at you... “Shhh… It’s okay, (Y/N)... ” They walked up to you and embraced you and your lightner in a hug.

Their head buried itself in your shoulders, and you leaned in into there touch. 

You think that was the first time, you felt your stomach tie into a knot at his touch and a small flush coat your cheeks. 

That was the first time you had felt… feelings for another. 

“I already told you-” There head rises off of your shoulder, and their eyes meet yours, causing a deeper shade to flood your face. 

“They deserved to die.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love. You weren’t even sure if you could feel love anymore... But here Jevil was insisting that you will feel those butterflies again. You didn’t understand how the jester could be so cocky about this topic. How can he think that you are so close to loving him back? Like all you need is a little push and you’ll be head over heels for him. 

You didn’t understand. Then again, you hardly understand much about the little fool. 

You rip your hand away from his, and your eyes narrow at him. “I don’t think so.” You scoff, folding your arms in front of you and keeping a keen eye on the fool. He looks at the palm of his hand, before nuzzling it into his cheek, giggling. “ AWWW… SO CUTE, CUTE!!” Air enters your nose sharply, not even understanding why he finds that statement cute. “How is th-” 

A loud gasp echo through your small room. The fool’s hands slam into his cheeks as his jaw drops to the floor. “WAIT! I’M NOT READY, READY FOR OUR DATE!” You can feel your brain decay as multiple blood vessels burst and die. He’s not ready. He came here early and has been bothering you for a straight hour. And he’s not goddamn ready for his stupid ass date. 

“What do you mean you're not ready for our date?!” You yell, one second away from straggling this little bastard. “If you weren’t ready why the hell did you show up early?!” You were robbed of an hour, An hour of solace away from the fool for what? Him to be unprepared for his own goddamn stupid date. 

Jevil waves his hands around in a frenzy in front of him, a sweat drop dripping down his face. “WAIT, WAIT! I WON’T TAKE LONG!!” You put your hands on your hips, stomping your foot onto the ground. “ Oh!! Sure you will!!” You couldn’t believe the goddamn nerve of Jevil. He forces you to go on this date and he isn’t even close to being ready for it!

What a spectacular start!!!

The fool straightens out his back, placing his hand parallel to his forehead, saluting you. “I PROMISE YOU, MY WORLD! I’LL BE BACK SOONER THEN YOU CAN SAY CHAOS.” You roll your eyes, your arms inching to punch this sucker right in the jaw…but you held yourself back, thinking of how much he likes it when you punch him. God, the idea just sends shivers down your spine. 

“BYE, BYE!!” He throws his hand off of his forehead and disappears. You growl at the spot the jester once filled, walking over to it and stomping on it. Your foot goes straight through the floor, leaving a hole where you punctured it. “Hey! What are you doing up there!” Some darkner below calls out and you pick up your foot from the insides of the drywall and move over to your bed. 

You sit down and place your fingers on your forehead massaging it. All of your rage is making your headache even worse.This is just the beginning and you already feel like your skull is splitting down the middle. What a good sign…

You wince as a loud knocking sound aggravates your already dreadful headache. You could feel sparks coming out of your mouth from your teeth grinding on each other.

Whoever the hell that was- The knock comes back even more frantic and decibels higher. Your knuckles are whiter than a ghost and are ready to knock out a god. “I swear you knock like that one more time-” You turn over to the birthplace of that awful wretched sound. 

To your utter surprise, it was a certain purple jester was there, standing in your doorway. 

...banging on the air where a door should have been and… somehow producing a knocking sound from it???

Not even touching that weirdness, the fool was wearing something quite different from his usual jester themed clothing. A brown overcoat covered a decent proportion of Jevil’s short body. The bottom of the jacket nearly hit the fools knees and the sleeves were going well over were the hands of the fool were. A loose-fitting tie hung down from Jevil’s neck with a wind-up mouse plastered on the front of it. 

God, he looks like a little kid trying on his father's clothes.

A nervous smile forms on his face when your eyes meet his. His clown make up was fresh, if you touched it you could easily smear his face paint. He picked up his covered hand, hitting the invisible door in front of him, once again, causing those horrendous knocks to piece through your brain. 

You clench your hands over your ears, getting up off of your covers. “Alright! I get it, Jevil!” You walk over to the door frame, stopping just in front Jevil’s weird knocking zone. You sigh before glaring down at the small fool. “Why are yo-?” Jevil places his sleeved hand to his mouth. “SHHHHH-” he whispers out, still louder than a normal darkners speaking tone. “YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR FIRST.” 

The last brain cell in your head shrivels up and dies. “I’m going to throw myself into a bottomless pit…” You mumble, your will to live slowly decaying with every passing second. You hesitantly edge your hand over to where Jevil’s supposed door was… only to feel something wooden underneath your palm. 

Your eyes widen, staring at the nothingness in front of you shocked. The jester giggles, with a mischievous grin covering his face. You tilt your head, stroking your fingers over the invisible wooden surface… almost impressed by the skill it would have taken to complete such a spell. 

Almost. You weren't going to be impressed so easily by a darkner that says’ they can do anything’ all the damn time. You feel around the door for the doorknob, finally feeling a metal underneath your fingertips, grabbing it and twisting the door open.

“NU-HA!” The jester's eyes go a pure pink as you open the invisible door, his face brightening up with a light purple. “JUST THE SIGHT OF YOU MAKES ME SPIN, SPIN!”

The jester tucks one of his legs in and revolves like a top in front of you. You frown leaning against the door frame, away from the swing of the invisible door. “Can we just go now?” The sooner the date started, the sooner you can get away from this living nightmare. And lord knows you want away from him. 

The fool abruptly stops, and he smirks up at you. “MY, OH MY! EAGER ARE WE?” He teases, and you scoff at him, turning your eyes away from his boring gaze. “BWA HA HA!! WELL, NOT YET, YET!!” He calls out, and a delicate soft scent fills the air in front of you. Glancing over to it, a bouquet of yellow flowers fills your vision. “FLOWER, FLOWERS!” Excitedly screams the fool, the exact opposite of how you felt. 

Uncannily familiar yellow petaled flowers… The only difference was last time you saw these things…

You remember there white middles stained with a crimson red.

“Ummm… Why did you get me these Jevil?” You manage to squeak out, a rush of adrenaline spiking your veins. Jevil rocks back and forth, laying his head on top of his hidden hand. “WELL… YOU’RE CRYPTIC WRITING MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A “YELLOW FLOWER EVERYDAY.” He removes his hand from his face, smiling innocently as if he didn’t do anything wrong by reading your journal and trying to figure out your likes and dislikes off of it. 

“THEY’RE YOUR FAVORITE. FAVORITE, THEN RIGHT?!” He happily announces shoving the flowers further into your face. “UEE HEE HEE!! YOU LIKE, LIKE?” The idea of ever liking these flowers again makes you sick to your stomach.

You hesitantly grab the bouquet of horrible memories, wanting to get out of this conversation as quickly as possible. “Yeah… I’ll just go put them over here…” You sprint over to your dressers placing them on top of it, knowing full well that you would have to go burn those later.

You can’t stand the thought of having those in your room, hell you can’t stand thinking about them at all.

“MY WORLD! CATCH, CATCH!” Before you can even react, something is thrown directly at the back of your head. You yell in pain, your headache destroying what little was left of your mind. You turn your head around, narrowing your eyes at the fool. 

“What the hell Jevil!” You screech out as the fool’s evil grin widens. “HEE HEE HEE! TOO MUCH FUN, FUN!” Jevil floats off of the ground, further into your room. You rub the area of impact on the back of your head, before glancing down at the present on the floor. 

You swear that before this moment you had never seen a present so… horribly wrapped in your life. The wrapping paper was bubbling up, not at all fitting the form of the package and tape was used willy nilly on the package even on areas where there was nothing to tape down. You never thought that you would call a present’s wrapping an abomination before but here you were. 

You grab the botched wrapped package and Jevil’s entire face explodes with joy. “OPEN IT, IT!” He cheers, balancing on the end of his tail and bouncing up and down. You pick at the paper trying your best to unwrap this disaster. A glass tray was underneath the horrible gift wrapping, but you had the feeling that he wasn’t just giving you a nice container as his present. Inside the glass, chocolate fudge stands tall, with dark purple rivers flowing inside of it. 

“Fudge…?” You question, tilting your head up to meet Jevil’s yellow eyes. This was the secret sweet that he wanted to make you… just fudge? Something twinkles in his eye the second you say that word. “BWA HA HA!! YES, YES!” He picks off the lid of the container, and a wave of sweetness hits your nostrils with a delicious fury. Jevil bends over bowing to you as he gestures at his mouth-watering treat. 

“CHOCOLATE FUDGE WITH A DARK BERRY DRIZZLE!!” He places his hand to his lips, kissing it then blowing the kiss at you. “HA HA HA!! MADE WITH LOVE, LOVE!!!” He winks, as you sidestep his kiss, letting it soar on by behind you.“....Okay, whatever.” You narrow your eyes at the chocolate, picking up a piece of it and studying it in your hands. Dark berry huh? It was a little peculiar to you that the hue of the purple in this looked a bit pinker than they usually did… 

How suspicious… 

The fool floats the glass top of the container into the air, as he takes a step closer to you. “...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? EAT, EAT!” You glance over to his face, his eyes were trained on the fudge, enraptured with it waiting on bated breath for the moment you finally consume it. 

If that wasn’t a red flag… you don’t know what was.

You move your mouth to the side. There was no way you would willingly eat this piece of dessert, but you could tell from the look on his face that he wasn’t going to be happy if you said no. “...I will.” You force yourself to say, as you extend your arm and hold out the treat to him. ”-But only if you eat a square first.” 

Flush covers the fool’s face as his hand's cup around his mouth.“MY WORLD, WANTS TO SHARE WITH ME?!!!” He screams, amazed at the mere concept of you doing something like that with him. You frown as your eye twitches in irritation. “Just take the damn square.” You say as Jevil’s smile goes far beyond where any smile should go, as his eyes lighten up far too much. “HA HA HA!! MY WORLD CARE, CARE!!” He laughs, placing his hand on top of yours. 

You blink, watching his hand linger on yours for an awkward amount of time before finally leaving with the treat. You zone in on the fudge in his hands, making sure that he didn't switch it out before he consumed the sweet. The jester looks at the candy, before lowering his arm down and launching it high into the air.

Your eyebrows shoot the sky, you were caught off guard completely. He opens his mouth up to the sky and the fudge dives perfectly into his eagerly awaiting gob. Without even chewing, he swallows the entire piece of candy in one bite. You grimace, just the thought of swallowing something that big made your throat scream for mercy. 

Giggles erupt from Jevil like a volcano, and he grabs a square off the plate and shoves it into your cheek. “IT’S YOUR TURN! SAY AHHH!!” The excitement in his voice was far greater then any simple sampling would make sense for, and you didn’t trust that strange new glimmer in his eye.

You take a step back holding out your palms. The way Jevil ate that food gave you no confidence in the idea of him actually eating the thing. What if he switched out the candy with his magic during the toss? You going to have to get him to eat another one, weren't you? 

“Wait, Jev-” You were cut off by Jevil shoving the piece of fudge straight into your open mouth. You gag, the fudge hitting the back of your throat with little mercy. Then the taste kicks in. The whole square together was sweet... nauseatingly sweet. The chocolate was creamy enough.

It probably would have tasted great on its own but the darkberry was sweeter than normal and it has a definite metallic taste to it. You can’t swallow this… Your mouth tightens preparing to spit out the unwanted food but just before you do, Jevil claps his hands over your face with harshly. 

Your eyes dart to the fool, confused by his unreasonably tight grip on your face. He smiles at you, tsking your actions with his pinprick eyes staring into your soul.

“HE HE. HOW RUDE, RUDE!! THROWING AWAY MY GIFT LIKE THAT.” His obsessiveness was bleeding out of his gaze as a drop of sweat fell down his cheek. “SWALLOW IT.” He commanded, the tone of his voice telling you that it wasn’t a simple request. 

Your pupils dilate, terrified of how serious Jevil became, and in the middle of your fear, you swallow the food. The jester's eyes soften at you, with his face turning a dark purple, as his tongue flops out of his mouth. “OH-GOOD, GOOD…” 

He lifts his hands off your face, then pats the top of your head, like you were a dust bunny or something... A shiver of disgust goes down your spine at the idea of him thinking of you like that. You glare at him, anger brimming in your eyes. “Don’t treat me like I’m some kind of pet.” You growl, feeling an urge to spit on him. 

“OH?” His hands leave the top of your head, cupping his purple cheeks. ‘HOW DID IT TASTE, TASTE…?” His eyes are half-open, staring at you with heart’s carved into the middle. 

Your eyes dart away from the clown, not liking the look on his face one little bit. You shudder as you think of what he put in that to make him have that expression on his face. “Uhhh… it was way too sweet…” You mumble, your eyes hitting the rest of the fudge on the tray, and eyeing them warily. You can only pray that he didn’t… do anything too bad to the sweets… 

The jester backflips into your field of view, grabbing the tray as he lands on the ground perfectly. The top of the container falls back on top and Jevil stands back up his smile falling. “ARE YOU NOT A BIG FAN OF SUGARY SWEET TASTES?” He asks, and you sigh, turning your head away from the gremlin that force-feed you.“You could say that…” 

Jevil appears from the thin air in front of you to your utter delight, with a sassy smirk on his lips..“WHAT A CRUEL FATE FOR YOU MY WORLD!!” He calls out, dramatically like a Shakespearean poet. He points his fingers at you snapping as he winks. “BECAUSE YOU’RE THE SWEETEST THING I’VE EVER TASTED~!”

You blink before your hand catapults to the middle of your face, unable to take the stupidity of that joke. “Really Jevil?” You sigh, shaking your head in despair. The fool cracks up laughing, clutching the tray of fudge to his chest and spinning around in the air. “HE HE HE! BWA HA HA!!”

You purse your lips at the way too happy jester, just baffled by how little he can read the god damn room. “Okay, You’ve given me all of your gifts right?” You hiss, gesturing at the fool. “Then, can we please go on this stupid date already?” Jevil rotates himself upwards, his eyes searching your face for an uncomfortably long amount of time. 

“HA HA HA!!! SURE-” Breaks the unnerving tension growing between you two, as the tray of fudge lings off into the air, landing right next to his unwanted yellow flowers. 

He sprints in the air right towards you, and before you can react his fingers weave themselves in between yours, As the jester leans in inches away from you. 

“-I CAN DO ANYTHING FOR YOU~!” He flirtatiously utters, a deep purple burying his blue skin tone. You throw your head back, shuddering at the fool’s attempt of making this feel romantic. “

Just teleport us already!” You yell, embarrassment covering your face. The jester laughs, before pulling his head slightly back from your own... “HE HE HE! YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND! TIS BUT A SIMPLE CHAOS!” His hand's grip on your own becomes tighter, making you even more aware of his horrible presence on your skin.

But even still… you think you've gotten slightly better at handling the jesters forced touches. Hatred couldn’t even describe how much you loathed the feeling of him on you but his little contacts aren't as bad as they were before.”ONE…” He counts down to his transportation of you, and you close your eyes instantly not wanting to see the clown vomit from the last time he teleported you. 

“TWO...” He says, moving one of your hands towards his face. You squint your eyes open, only for them to spring back open as his smooth lips press against your hand's knuckles. “THREE!” He shouts out, removing his lips from your hand just as the floor falls underneath you.

You can only pray that the worst of the date is behind you. 


	14. The Power to Protect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cotton candy and screaming, what a perfect combination.

You squint, adjusting your foot in the dirt below you. The peachy colored lamb sitting in front of you trembled and shook, under the might of your gaze, before putting its hooves overs its eyes. 

Water swished and ebbed beneath the sheep, as your eyes focused on the target ten feet away. The ball in your grasps was soft and squishy, not weighing enough to trigger the target at the normal amount of force a darkner would be packing. 

But you… weren’t just any normal darkner. 

You tighten your grip on the ball, and in a second you chuck its soft form at the target. The wooden painted thing, snaps off entirely from the pure power of your throw, dunking the screaming lamb into the watery abyss below. The jaw of the stands dice shaped owner of the booth drops. “Y-you broke my tank?!” The darkner exclaims, slamming his hand into his cheek.

For a moment, pride swells up in you just seeing how flabbergasted the dice is before a much too familiar arm locks itself with yours. “QUITE STRONG, STRONG, MY WORLD IS!!” Jevil’s voice screams out reminding you of why you were here at the carnival in the first place. 

The dice darkner blinks at the jester, his confusion growing even more, “J-jevil…? why in heaven's are yo-” You bite down on your tongue as you feel his face nuzzle into your arm. White-hot embarrassment shines on your face, hoping that most darkners don’t notice the obvious romantic affection Jevil is giving you. 

The darkners eyes widen, nearly bulging out of his square skull. “OH! You two are- Oh, I never thought Jevil would…” The jester in question laughs, digging his cheek further into your arm. 

“YEP! THIS ONE IS MINE, MINE!” Needles were being poked into your brain. Needles from the idea of Jevil and you actually being something, and the fools insistence on showing it off to everyone that the two of you were. 

“But I’m not-!” Jevil tugs at your arm harshly, making you lose your place in your sentence and forcing you to walk away from the tank with him. Your eyes divert to the fool, with a monstrous glare.

“I swear to god Jevil if the entire point of this date is to show me off like a trophy…” You growl, baring your teeth at the fool. If this was the idea of taking you out for a good time, you would hate to see what he thinks a bad time is like...

Jevil beams up at you, your anger not phasing him in the slightest. “UEE HEE HEE!! NO, NO! WAY TOO EXCITED EXCITED!!” The clown, leans his form against your walking frame, snuggling and purring with a giggle. “BEING HERE, HERE WITH YOU IN MY ARMS… BWA HA HA!! PINCH ME I MUST BE DREAMING!!!” 

His face turns to your arm, pressing his lips against it. It burned like a hot iron skillet. Everything about it was so… so wrong. How affectionate he was being… how everyone stared at the two of you as you went by, how happy he is to… kiss every and any part of you.

He’s really pretending the two of you are a couple, isn’t he? Your eyes widen, shoving the fool off of you. “J-Jevil!” The fear in your throat was singing its song in your speech. What if he isn't just doing this to show you off to everyone like a trophy? What if he genuinely thinks you two are a thing now?

You couldn't live like that. The jester's presence suffocated you. You couldn’t breathe, always worried about the little performer's next move. You couldn't be happy with him. The jester chuckles at you, unaware of the turmoil that was your inner thoughts. “HA HA HA! SURPRISE, SURPRISE, CHAOS, CHAOS!” 

“Jevil… We’re in public.” You say, eyeing the pink-eyed fools every move. ”I would rather not embarrass myself...” You quickly scan through the crowd around you, pleased to see none of their eyes currently staring at you and him. It's one thing to have to go on a date with this weirdo. It was another thing to have to watch darkners gawk at Jevil, wondering why he’s out with some random darkner… 

Jevil’s eyes curl further upwards as he twirls the end of his hat in his fingers, a light blush staining his face. “IF YOU DON’T LIKE, LIKE! YOU CAN ALWAYS FIGHT ME OFF WITH YOUR STRENGTH.” The flirtatious vibes of his statement were not lost on you, even though a part of you wishes you didn’t notice it.

A light shudder falls down your spine, remembering his… masochistic love of your blows towards him. “Yeah… I’m not indulging you in your… weird tendencies Jevil…”

The jester closes his eyes, nuzzling both of his hands on his cheeks. “HE HE HE!!” His laughs were much more cheerful than they were ever before. You bet that the fool felt like he was on cloud nine just from being on a date with you. 

You grimace from the clown's joyful expression, letting your eyes wander away from him into the crowd. The side eyes and the confused stares were attracted to the both of you like a moth to a lamp. A mother darkner, raised an eyebrow as you walk past, leaning into her husband and whispering something in his ear. 

You are tempted to shoot them a glare but you roll your eyes, deciding that they weren't even worth the effort to scold. You were a little surprised that Jevil didn’t try to attack any of them from merely looking at you… but so far he hasn’t even acknowledged their existence.

You almost felt jealous of his ability to block out the stares but it made sense considering he was a performer in his day to day life. You, on the other hand, could feel the stares trying to burn holes straight through you. 

You look up just to hopefully take your mind off of it. The back sky twinkled with dim white lights and yellow sparkles, almost like it was simulating the night sky of the light world. But was doing it rather poorly… you missed seeing the beautiful novas and purple stardust painted across the sky, just seeing these dim twinkles felt like an insult to what you used to have. 

It's not like the actual carnival itself was a good sight to behold either. Each of the dubious made structures around had the same black paint job, with only the outlines of each dabbed with a dark blue, which made the carnival feel much drabber that it would be otherwise. It was like the buildings had to keep to the same black color that every other damn building in this place had… 

His hand snakes right into your holding onto it firmly. You sigh, knowing that no matter how much you fought it, he was just going to try to touch you all over again. “MY WORLD, ARE YOU HUNGRY?”

The inquisitive loud speech of jevil call to you. You press your mouth together, you don’t think you’ve eaten a single thing this whole day, besides that piece of fudge Jevil forced down your mouth. You shudder, just thinking about the look in his eyes when you consumed it was enough to give you nightmares for weeks. 

“I might be a little bit…” You were used to not getting food for long stretches of time but the pure stress going through your veins was begging you to eat just as a distraction. 

The jester's eyes light up, tugging your hand and forcing your steps to follow his. He points ahead, laughing. “LET'S GET SOME TREATS, TREATS!” You look were his finger pointed. It was a simple cotton candy stand. With ten or so bags of pink and blue cotton candy placed on the counter with the machine spinning some of the blue sugar. 

The octopus-like darkener running the stand had bags under his eyes and you swear if you pulled out a weapon on him he would ask you to slice his throat. As you two approached you saw fear fill his eyes as the sight locked onto the jester. A bead of sweat trickles down his forehead, as you can see his glancing to the side as if he was trying to see if he could run away from his own job. 

Jevil’s hand slams down on the counter and the dakner on the other side gulps. “O-oh, it's you Jevil… Ha ha ha…” Sympathy oozes from you for the poor worker. Did Jevil do something to traumatize him or something? Are you not the only one that's had Jevil change your life for the worst?

Jevil blinks at the worker before a massive stash of dark dollars appears on his hand. “WE’LL TAKE FIFTY!” Your eyes widen at his request. What did he need that many bags for? The small speck of light in the worker's eyes leave as you can sense the desire to hang himself emanating from him.“No problem sir…” 

You raise an eyebrow at Jevil as the darkener, starts whizzing around the small stand trying to make the cotton candy faster than ever before. This must be why he dreaded Jevils approach to the stand. “Why are you ordering so many?” You place your elbow on the counter. From that order alone it was almost like Jevil was trying to torture the poor guy. 

The Jester giggles, his tail wagging from you just asking him that simple question. “HA HA!! FAVORITE FOOD!” You sigh, tap your fingers on the finished polish. You were surprised by how that answer actually made sense to you.

Usually, his answers leave you confused or leave you with even more questions but knowing that this is Jevils favorite food made his insistence on that insane amount kind of make sense and that's the most sense you can hope Jevil will make. 

You shake your head, spinning your body and leaning it on the cotton candy stands front. To your relief, fewer darkners were staring at you two then before.

It must be because you two are tucked into a corner instead of walking down the pathway directly in the middle. Good, at least you knew that this could be a strategy to put less attention on you and Jevil. Glancing to the side you see a sight that makes you raise an eyebrow. 

Right beside the cotton candy stand, a soft-serve ice cream stand sat and waited for customers of which only one was in line. A small Rudinn guard, that was wearing a blue hood and had a black tight shirt on with a spade plastered on it. 

You blink, your mouth moving to the side of your face. You have never seen a guard wear such a thing. A spade implies that he is working under the King of Spades but you had never seen him have a single guard just for himself. He always seemed to just steal guards from the other kings. 

The darkener running the ice cream stand handed over a large vanilla cone and the Rudinn smiled at the owner before turning around and accidentally making eye contact with you. The Rudinns eyes go wide, the brand new treat in his hands dropping and covering the floor in its sticky deliciousness. The Rudinns face goes pale green as he takes a small slither back. “T-they- They’re HERE?!”

You tilt your head, as your eyes narrow. “What?” Slips out of your mouth. The shaking snake turns around and bolts away faster than a car with a woman about to give birth.

That Rudinn left so quickly you weren’t sure if you were just imagining all of that. The melting dessert on the floor was the only indication you had that your exchange really happened. A Rudinn wearing a weird spades uniform just bolted away from you like you were going to eat his bones. You didn’t even know what to think of that.

The sound of a bang echos around the both of you taking you out of your thoughts. Your eyes dart back to the shop seeing the workers face down on the counter panting hard.

“T-that-” The creature wheezes, pulling out an inhaler from his pocket and taking a puff. “T-that's all of them.” Your mouth goes agape, you didn’t expect him to finish that task so fast. Your eyes shoot behind him only to see the mount Everest of piles of cotton candy.

“A PERFECT CHAOS!!” The jester excitedly says, dropping the pile of money in his hands directly on the workers sweating face. You can only blink in response. Just try not to think about it (Y/N). You’ll keep your sanity more if you don’t think about the weird things that Jevil does. The fool opens up his arms and all of the cotton candy appears on top of him. 

It towered over like the leaning tower of Pisa, mainly because it looked like it was going to topple over at any second. The tip of the candy mountain slipped off of its base and it tumbled down like an asteroid about to collide with the planet. You reach out trying to catch the escaping treat but Jevil’s tail comes out and wraps around the paper cone, stopping it from impacting on the ground.

“BWA HA HA! THIS ONE FOR YOU, YOU!!” Jevil laughs, his tail extending, offering the treat inside to you. “Uhhh… Okay.” You grab the cotton candy from the top, avoiding making contact with the fool’s tail. Cotton candy… The last time you had this you got them after stealing them from an unmanned kiosk. You were still a little proud that you managed to swipe those without being caught. 

You rip the plastic packaging off and the nostalgic scent of pure sweetness rock your nostrils. You take a small bite of the fluffy sugar and you can feel it all come back to you. 

Passing along the cloud-like treat as your lightner talked about how much they loved how sugary and sweet it was. █████ commenting about how much they would rather have a candy bar instead. It was...a pleasant memory. One of the few you can look back on and feel some sense of peace. 

You miss those days...

“UEE HEE HEE!! IT’S TASTY, TASTY RIGHT MY WORLD?” A giggle comes from the jester's mouth as all of the plastic wrappings gets pulled off of the spun sugar by his magic. You nod your head not wanting him to get the satisfaction of you saying you liked the sweet out loud. 

Jevil’s smile trickles up his face, as his yellow eyes grow brighter. “MY WORLD, LIKE, LIKE LIKES IT!” He squeals, a light purple blush hitting his cheeks as he does a small spin. Your toes curl as you see some of the other carnival-goers glance over at the loud-mouthed clown.

You take a step away from him trying to distance yourself so no one could tell you were associated with him. Jevil stops still giggling and the sway of the candy stack becomes too much and it all came tumbling to the ground. 

You could have never been prepared for what followed. In the blink of an eye, Jevil’s face sprang up and caught chunk after chunk of the candy out of the air. He swallowed every single piece as soon as he had it in between his teeth. Jevil moved so fast that you could hardly process his movements. In less than thirty seconds, Jevil managed to consume forty-nine bags of cotton candy.

You rub your eyes in complete disbelief as your trust in what your sight showed you waned. This was the textbook definition of something that was mind-blowing. You couldn't explain how he did it and your brain refused to believe that any of what just happened was real.

Jevil gulps down the last of the cotton candy and he holds out his arms. “TA-DAH!” He announces, like that unholy abomination of an action was something praiseworthy. Your mouth opens to say something but the sound of clapping interrupts it. 

The people gawking at him just seconds ago eyes glowed with awe and wonder. The jester turns towards the crowd, taking his head off and tipping it at them like a hat.

“BWA HA HA! CHAOS, CHAOS!!” A whistle comes from the gathered group as a couple of dark dollars are thrown at his feet. You blink at the crowd, moving your mouth to the side.

Can’t they see that they shouldn't encourage this type of behavior from the darkener? It was disgusting and not to mention all of the calories that he just snarfed up. Maybe that's the reason why he's chubby in spite of all of the energy he uses up…

“MY WORLD-” The jester's voice grates against your eardrum turning your attention back to him. His eyes shimmered and shined as he gave you a large closed mouth smile. “HOW MUCH FUN, FUN WAS THAT?” It was like a child showing their parent how they could ride a bicycle. The praise he wanted before was back in spades.

Out of the corner of your eye, you can see the audience dissipating, them all going on to see the next cool thing at the carnival. Well, there goes his five seconds of fame then. “Jevil are you sure it's healthy to eat all of those in one sitting?” You wouldn’t be surprised if he rushed to the nearest garbage can right now. He can’t be feeling good after all of that sugar…

A small satisfied smirk hits his face as his eyes soften. “HE HE HE… YOU CARE, CARE!” The dark dollars on the floor fly up, into his hands and they poof from existence. He launches over to you, tangling his fingers around yours, and making your body cringe from the touch. “SUCH A SIMPLE CHAOS! MY LIGHTNER FED, FED ME SO MUCH COTTON CANDY THAT IT HAS NO ADVERSE EFFECTS ON ME!” 

In your mind's eyes, you think about some lightner force-feeding Jevil cotton candy non-stop. While that is probably wildly inaccurate that's what his statement made you think of. 

Jevil hand tugs yours, dragging you away from the spot you occupied. Taking a glance before you go, the darkner working the stands head has not moved an inch from the place he sat it down. God, he used all of that darkners energy…

You hope he wakes up before whoever his boss is shows up…

You leave your thoughts looking back in front of you and trying to ignore the random darkners rub stares. “Cotton candy?” You ask a little interested in why his lightner decided to feed him pure sugar. That just sounds like a recipe for pure disaster. The jester presses his body against yours, chuckling happily.

“AH, YES YES!! HA HA HA! EASY TO STEAL FROM THE GARBAGE CAN!!” You wince from the contact, although your attention was rested in another place entirely. Your eyes open the second you hear his answer. “Wait, what?’ Slips out of your throat, as you look at him, pleading for him to elaborate on that.

Jevil’s smile widens from seeing your eyes on him as he explodes into a fit of giggles. “INTRIGUED MY WORLD?” He raises an eyebrow as a cockiness fills his eyes. “NO GOLD WITH US TO SPEAK OF. WE HAD TO SCAVENGE FOR SUSTENANCE.” Huh, his lightner must have been poor or something then.

That satisfies some of your curiously but it didn't explain why cotton candy of all things was what they found in the bin. The smugness on his features turns you off from asking him to elaborate further on that. You didn’t want to give him any opportunities to use that face on you again.

You blink at him, forcing your face to look unimpressed with his answer. “Whatever…” You shrug your shoulders putting that curiosity on hold for another time. 

“Hear ye! Hear ye!” One of the carnival barkers yelled out to the darkners passing by. The darkners yelling to grasp your attention was something you were rather used to here. Your eyes lazily look over at the carny.

You didn’t know what you expected to see once you looked at the darkner but whatever it was, it was completely broken. A large tent with an oval-shaped ring on the inside greeted your eyes. The ring raised off the ground slightly, and the black dirt inside of it looked worn as if many darkners had used it before. Standing in the middle of this battleground was a slightly short darkner. 

Nearly all of her scales was covered by an intricate shimmering suit of golden armor. Only her snake bottom half was left unprotected. You would have been impressed by the armor before you if you didn’t see a smeared spot on the helmet with a light gray peeking through. They must have spray painted it to look golden then.

“Hark, NO challengers dare to approach the might of the GOLDEN PAIN!” She announces balling up her hand into a fist and raising it to the sky. The darkners passing didn’t even acknowledge the armored darkner, walking past them with little thought.

You would have been one of them, thinking that whoever this was is just being an overconfident diehard. You stopped your movements, Jevils tugging not even phasing you as your eyes focus in on one thing.

A sword was in their hands. Shimmering against the soft glow of the small fire lit posts around the place. Its pristine silver blade with a golden hilt. That seemed generic enough to not draw your attention. A lot of swords have a yellow handle, you shouldn’t overthink it! 

But there was one detail. One small thing that changed everything... A small pink and blue striped cloth was wrapped around just at the top of the hilt. The moment you saw that you knew you weren’t overthinking it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first moment of being alive was an interesting experience. You weren’t then suddenly you were. Thoughts and feelings enter your head. One objective shining through the waves of knowledge coming in. 

Protect them. 

A cold unfeeling floor lays underneath you. Your eyes open, and your torso rises to sit up off of the ground. Concrete walls surround you, cracked and a dreary grey. How did you know what concrete was? You were just born, you don't have any memory of seeing it but somehow you knew exactly what it was just from a glance. Is this what being alive was like? 

They gave you the gift of knowledge.

A loud gasp echoed through the room. Something hits you in the chest. Something beats inside when it hears that voice. 

That's your soul, the very cumulation of your being.

Your eyes shoot to the creator of the sound. They rested on an old bed with the wear and tear over the years plan to see on the dingy mattress. They had brown hair that hit the nape of there neck with bangs covering up there forehead, messy and dirty.

Skin that was covered in bruises with scabs covering their joints. They had the ends of the oversized pink and blue striped sweater they were wearing coving their mouth as small tears well up in there closed eyes.

“I-it worked!” An excitement jumped out in their voice as there whole face lit up, Something flares up inside of your soul. You were enraptured, caught hook line and sinker. They looked so fragile… but so determined. So young but they carried so many scars…

Protect them.

That is your purpose.

You are their darkner. 

And they are your lightner.

You stand up off of the cold hard floor, staring at them with wide eyes and bated breath like they were the only thing in the world. “My… lightner?” It felt so right, your soul buzzed with delight from just uttering it. 

The child lowers there sweater revealing a small smiling mouth. The corners of your mouth go up just seeing the blessed sight. It was like a little angel just graced you with their presence. A series of giggles exits them as they throw their arms out.

“He he he he! Yes!” Their small legs hit the floor as they run up to you throwing themselves against your legs and nearly making you lose balance from the impact. There arms snake around your leg as they press their face into your lower thighs. “Darkener!” The sound in their voice goes sour into a horrible wailing as small tears hit your legs. 

A twinge of pain goes off inside of you, wondering if you messed up and made them start crying. You lean down and place your hands underneath there armpits and pick them off the ground, and rest them against your upper body. 

“My lightner! What’s wrong?” Panic takes hold as you try to rock the child, to calm them down. Tears flow down there face and your lightner buries there face into your shoulder. 

“I-I’m so happy!” They cry out, your shoulder starting to get damp from there tears. Your mouth goes agape. They… they are happy? In spite of there tears? They wrap their arms around you tightly. Like they never wanted to let go. “I H-have a F-friend! ” They manage to say in between there wailing shrieks.

The world stops around you as your breath gets stopped in your throat. F-friend? Your lightner and you are friends. You felt like you were receiving a Nobel peace prize. It was a great honor. You felt like you should have had a speech ready to say when she gave you that grand title. Friend…

You sniffle, your own tears starting to fall down your face as you feel a warmness inside that engulf your entire being. The emotion was strong. You wanted to fight to keep it, make it stay with you forever and ever. The sheathed weapon at your side sent a wave of energy into you.

Protect them.

Do whatever it takes. 

You remove one of your arms from the child in a trance, grabbing the weapon at your side. It was a plain shimmering blade. It didn’t look like anything special, it looked inconsequential, but the energy radiating from it told another story. Plain and down to earth but it held the power that could curve mountains. You know what its name was the second you looked at it.

This is your Dragonslayer. 

You turn it to the side. It felt perfect in your hands, specifically made for you. Soft breaths come from your shoulder as your lightner falls asleep. Their cute sleeping face looked so helpless. Defenseless from any evil that would wish to harm it. Your blade glistens, you could cut through metal cut through bone. You could slice anyone to sheds...

You could…

You could do anything…

You could kill anything 

Nothing else matters.

Protect them.

Protect them. 

Protect them.

Protect them.

Protect-

Protect Frisk.


	15. Code of a False Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new face emerges revealing mysteries from the past.

You’ve been lost without your sword, making you feel even more incomplete as a darkner. First, you fail your lightner… then your sword left you… If you didn’t make that promise to your lightner about staying alive no matter what even if Frisk died first, you would already have found your place among the dust.

But- seeing it again, it made hope brew inside of you. You almost want to cry seeing that old piece of a sweater wrapped up around its hilt. You didn’t think you would feel this joy hit you ever again. It seemed like happiness was fair and few between ever since the jester came into your life.

You can feel the corners of your mouth fighting to show off a smile. It’s been quite a while since you’ve ever felt this happy… and in a moment of weakness, you let the corners of your mouth upturn.

Instantly, a shooting pain hits your hand, as claws dig straight inside of your flesh. Your breath hitches in your throat as your smile fades forming into a terrified frown. Jevil. You… you can’t believe that you completely forgot that he was here or that he was holding onto your hand. You were so focused on your sword it was like the world around you didn’t even exist. 

“MY WORLD, YOU SMILE, SMILE BUT NOT FOR ME… WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE ONE THAT YOU SEE…?” His words were vile seething with jealousy and hatred. The darkness was like the same one you could feel when he was talking about Seam although this one held nothing back, engulphing everything around the two of you in a world of tension. 

“SHE IS ONE OF NOTHING OF FLASHYNESS AND SPARKLES…” You gulp, knowing that there is a ticking time bomb piercing your flesh. A ticking time bomb that if not cooled down was going to explode. 

You slowly turn your head towards him to see a cheery smile on his face. The kind of smile that didn’t reach your eyes, the kind that was forced on because of how pissed you were about something. A sweatdrop falls down your face just looking at him in the eyes. Eyes, that were heavily shaded an amber, and so close to being a red. 

You couldn’t handle Jevils anger normally but… you could feel protection well up in your soul. If you don’t calm him down, who knows what he might do to the darkners here? He could easily start hurting some innocent darkners in his anger and you refused to let that happen.

“Jevil… I was not smiling at that darkner.” You state, hoping he doesn't hear the wave in your voice from your own panicked fright. You gulp seeing his eyes narrow at you from just that one part of your answer. If you told him the truth would he even believe you? But could you even come up with a lie that sounded any better? Should you even let him know that that weapon was yours?

You didn’t know but you did know that he needed an answer and he needed it quick and you only had one story that you knew you could tell. Your eyes lower to the ground, as you force your face to look as sad as you possibly could.

“Remember when we fought, Jevil…? You remember those flashy attacks I managed to pull off?” Your soul is beating out of your chest, as you manage to keep a calm exterior. You can do this. You just have to play with his emotions a bit to get him to actually listen to you. 

Jevil tilts his head, raising an eyebrow as he nods at you, clearly unable to tell where you were going with this. “Well… if I could do all of those attacks… why am I considered the healer on my team?” You told him that you were a support unit on that fateful day you met him in the cafeteria and you’re surprised that he hasn’t questioned you on that before. 

A spark of curiosity and shock pricks up in his eyes, his anger weaning as his eyes unturn at you with a laugh. His hand removes itself from your arm as he pumps his fists up and down excitedly.

“HEE HEE HEE!! YES, YES! I’VE BEEN WANTING TO KNOW WHY SINCE WE PLAY, PLAYED!” You hold a hand up to your mouth, coughing into it as you cleared your throat. This was going to be a bit of a long story but if it saved some innocent bystander from Jevils wrath it was worth it.

“You see… I didn’t sign up as an attacker.” You scratch the back of your neck, a little embarrassed knowing what you know now from the fight you had with the fool. “ I… I didn’t think I could attack without my…” You lift your eyes up glancing over at the sword you got to know over so many years. The blade you had fought and defeated countless with. “-My weapon, the dragonslayer.” 

Jevil’s eyes dart after yours his eyes landing on your dragonslayer with his tail shifting behind him. “YOUR WEAPON?” He asks his eyes glancing back and forth between you and the sword in the Golden Pain’s hands. You sigh looking down at the stinging spot his claws dug into your flesh. You are doing this so he doesn't do something worse than this to another darkner.

“Yeah… I lost it when I got sealed away here…”You can’t believe that your actually telling Jevil about all of this. You haven’t even mentioned this to Seam and Rudinn… Although, you guess you had a good reason to keep it a secret.

“I woke up and my sword was nowhere to be found.” You look to the side, flinching when you see a load of darkners gawk at the two of you together. Why did Jevil have to be a pseudo-celebrity? Their eyes always on you made your spine crawl...

He tilts his head staring at the shiny sword with curiosity and awe blazing in his eyes. “IT’S LIKE, LIKE THE DEVILSKNIFE?” You turn your attention back to Jevil, his head tilted and his eyes sparkling with curiosity. You open your mouth but no words come out. Was your dragonslayer like his devilsknives? 

They were both physical weapons connected to both of your attacks… They were actually kind of similar. “Yeah, I think so…” You utter, giving credit to his idea. “Just imagine then what it would be like if you weren’t ever able to use your devilsknives ever again.” 

His face shifts towards to you, his jaw-dropping and his eyes widening, to complete his horrified expression. “WHY WOULD YOU EVEN SAY, SAY THAT?” You roll your eyes at him, flicking your thumb in the direction of the sword. “That's how I felt when I woke up down here without my dragonslayer by my side.” 

The sword shimmers and shines as the Golden Pain lifts it back up doing some sloppily done stabs with the precious weapon. Your lips smash themselves together, she really didn’t know how to wield a sword and seeing her laugh and cross her arms like what she did was impressive made you cringe at her unwarranted confidence. 

“Yes! Run, run away! Be afraid of the GOLDEN PAIN!” She stands up tall, chest piece puffed out. Did she really think that all of the darkners were afraid of her? No, it seemed more like that everyone was just ignoring her…

You narrow your eyes at her with a sigh. While your weapon was powerful you still had to know how to use to for it to be at its full strength. She was wasting it by being a complete amateur at using the blade. 

You take your eyes off of her, looking at the pristine metal in her hands. Your eyes soften, you shouldn't worry about how bad she is at using the dragonslayer, after all, you were finally reunited with it! You take peek over at Jevil, his gaze glued on the armored darkner with gears turning inside of his mind. 

“Jevil…” With just his name his eyes dart themselves back to you. “I smiled because… I was just so happy to see my sword again...” The corners of Jevils mouth upturn, nodding at you while his tail wagged behind him. “HEE HEE HEE! THIS WEAPON MAKES A BEAUTY JOY IN YOUR HEART!” 

A wave of pride hits you, turning back to the Golden Pain, proud that your plan worked so well. Jevil was back to his usual cheerful self! However, Why was it that, in the deepest reaches in your soul, you felt that something was off, horribly off about this situation. Something about how fast he ate up your story… It felt wrong. 

A swoosh of air comes from beside you, and a spade flys out, narrowly missing the Golden Pain and tears through the back of her tent. The shuffling of feet from the darkners passing by stop, their eyes completely passing you over and staring at the sight to the attack. The fake knight shrieks, driving away from the spot where the spade whizzed by her head. 

Your eyes widen, throwing your eyes back to the fool. “Jevil what are you-” Jevil holds up a finger placing it against your lips, with his same happy elated grin on his face. He leans in close to you, a dark shadow going over his face as he places his mouth right against your ear. 

“I’m going to play, play a simple numbers game-” He whispers, quiet and deadly. Dripping with venomous malice that shook your very soul. Your forehead crinkles as your face flares up in horror. His eyes flashed a straight blood-red as a light amused chuckle comes out of his mouth. 

Those red eyes that haunted you ever since last night… they were back in spades and so much brighter than before. The next moment they were gone, replaced with his yellow pinpricks you grew used to seeing. Thoughts jumble themselves inside of your mind as the air becomes too dense to breathe. You didn’t understand… Why was he so angry…? 

The Golden Pain gets up off of the floor and wipes off the dirt from her armor. She holds the sword out in front of her, scoping the large crowd that gathered around her stand.“Hark! W-who goes there? W-who dares to surprise attack one such as I?” Anyone could hear the fear that she was trying to hide in her voice. Fear that you knew was very warranted when the jester had you in his sights.

Jevil tosses his head back in laughter as he removes his finger from your face, laughter that was normal, filled with the same cheerfulness he usually had. Your body freezes completely. H-he could hide it? Before you could always tell the anger or the dark energy inside of his vocals but right now? You couldn’t feel any of that. Did he learn how to cover it? 

The jester disappears mid-laugh appearing right in front of the Golden Pain’s helmeted face.“UNBEATABLE YOU SAY? BWA HA HA!! YOU SURE, SURE YOU COULD KEEP UP WITH ME?” You can here the darkners murmuring excitedly around you.

A small child lifts up a fist in the air and shouts. “Go get em’ Jevil!” Everyone seemed ecstatic at the prospect of Jevil putting this fake knight in her place. If only they knew… If only they knew that look you saw in his eyes, they wouldn’t be cheering then.

The Golden Pain yips, taking a large slither away from the suddenly appearing jester, her armor clanking together as she shakes where she stood. “J-jevil? W-what are you doing here?” The snake cries out, causing the fool to sarcastically roll his eyes. 

Jevil lazily lays down on the air flipping over and staring at his opponent upside down. “HA HA HA! YOU QUESTION, QUESTION WITHOUT ANSWERING MINE FIRST?” He folds his arms, putting on a playful pouty face. “HOW VERY, VERY RUDE!”

\Disgust rises up your throat. He was acting so childish and normal like you didn’t feel the mountain of fury he had just shown to you moments ago. All of the usual cues you had come to expect were dried up, the jester didn’t even give out a single one. A pit forms in your stomach, you didn't like this… you didn’t like this at all.

He unfolds his arms, his eyes looking at her half-lidded. “BUT THAT'S PAR FOR THE COURSE WITH YOU.” You look at Jevil in complete shock. Wait... does he know the Golden Pain? The armored darkner in question strafes around Jevil, studying him as a cloud of dust comes from the dirt she was slithering on. 

Yellow eyes greeted her back, staring at her actions with an amused grin. He flips around, clapping his hands together. “WHAT DO YOU SAY THE GOLDEN PAIN? ARE YOU WILLING TO PLAY, PLAY?” Jevil taunts, his teeth shimmering threateningly from the light of the lampost outside of the tent. You bite your bottom lip every word coming from his mouth making you even tenser.

The pseudo-knight takes a step back holding her sword in her shaking hands pointed at him, like she was trying to keep in control of the situation. “A fool should be no match for a Golden pain-” 

Jevil’s face lights up from those words, nuzzling his head into himself like he was trying to be cute. “WE’LL PLAY, PLAY!!! UEE HEE HEE! CHAOS, CHAOS!!” The audience chuckles from his signature catchphrase.

”I’VE WANTED TO PLAY, PLAY WITH YOU FOR QUITE A LONG TIME INDEED!!” Every little giggle, being a sore reminder of the image this madman had with the public. Everyone else sees him as a silly fun clown that entertains them, you were one of the only darkners that have ever seen that murderous expression in his eyes.

The Golden Pain was clearly an amateur who thinks their tough just because they found your sword. There was no way she could handle Jevil’s fighting skills. There's no way you could let them actually fight, he would wipe the floor with her dust covering it!

The Golden Pain throws up her hand up swinging it all around in a panic. “W-wait! I wasn’t done speaking yet!” The crowd quiets watching her as she cleared her throat.“It would be no match…”

She tilts her head up as she folds her none dominate hand around herself, the sword still keeping its tip pointed at the powerful fool. “W-which is why I refuse your challenge!”

You let out a breath of relief, she refused his challenge and hopefully, that would mean that he would stop right? Boos come from the darkners around you, disappointment ringing true in their cries. Jevil looks down at the dirt below him, dipping his tail down and dragging it across the floor. 

“AWWW... “ Jevil’s face morphs into a large exaggerated frown for a couple of seconds before it turned into a knowing grin. Your brief amount of relief was instantly overruled by that smirk, he had something up his sleeve… didn’t he? 

“UNDERSTANDING WHY YOU WOULD REALLY DO THAT IS SO, SO EASY!!” His tail changes on its axis, deliberately carving something into the floor beneath him. 

Sweat trickles down your forehead and you put all of your weight on your toes as you tried to stand taller to see what he was writing on the dirt, but you couldn’t get a clear picture of it. Worry strikes your core.

If you stand here and pretend that somethings going to happen any second now that would stop whatever mischievous plan he had in mind you would be a complete moron. You need to start acting now!

You squeeze in between the darkners in front of you making your way to the start of the arena. The Golden Pains head tilts at the fool, confused by his words. “W-what do you understand doth fool? W-why are you insistent on this, joker?” The words crash out of her mouth, caught perfectly in his spider's web.

He chuckles, and you shove the darkners in front of you as you make your way through the crowd. Jevil balances on his tiptoes as he spins around like a ballerina. He stops in front of the armored snake, flicking her visor up. “IT’S OBVIOUS ISN’T IT?” Jevil comments, the white of her nervous and frightened stare becoming visible to the audience.

“You are just horrible darkner!” Someone screeches out at you, as you push him to the side. You turn around for a brief second, seeing the oddly familiar-looking spade uniform you saw before decorate their outsides. You don’t have time to think about it and you give them an ice-cold stare that made their eyes widen with fear. 

“Eep! S-sorry!” You shift your face back to the front, not surprised at all at the darkner backing down as soon as he saw the fury in your gaze. The Golden Pain, staggers back, a light blush going over her face as she tosses her visor back down over her face. “Fool! Have you gone MAD?! Madder then you were before?!” She yells, much closer to the truth then she could have ever known. 

The fool removes his hands from his face, slowly his head rose back up showing off eyes that stared straight into her soul and a smile that looked like it was ready to sink its teeth into her scales. 

Your eyes widen, his cues of anger came back so suddenly, and a black hole forms in your chest. You have to get him away from her, you have to get him away from her right now! You reach the front of the crowd just as Jevil lifts up his hand his pointer finger curled around his thumb. 

“BWA HA HA!! NO, NO IT’S OBVIOUS TO ME WHY YOU WON’T PLAY, PLAY WITH ME!” The hand moves the thumb from under the finger, causing a snapping sound to enter the air.

“YOU WANT IT TO BE IN PRIVATE! JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN YOUR LIFE!!” Your soul skips a beat as the front of the circus tent starts closing itself at a rapid speed. You don’t even think as you fling yourself into the tent just as the dark fabric hits the floor below.

Your body skids against the dirt, the black particles scratching your skin as you finally come to a stop. You put your hands on the ground shifting your face up.

The Golden Pain’s eyes ran back and forth between the Jester and the opening, sweating coming off of her body and dripping down her golden spray-painted armor. “Did you just seal my tent up. Jevil?!” She askes befuddled, her pitch so high that it could rival Jevils own voice. 

Jevil’s eyes glance over to you, softening from the horrible darkness you saw pointed at her previously. “MY WORLD, HOW LUCKY, LUCKY OF YOU TO JOIN US!” He mischievously says, burying that malice deep inside of himself. Your knees buckle as you stand up off of the ground. The scaled darkener aims their weapon at you, breathing heavily as she points it at you then at Jevil over and over again. 

“W-who is the world?! And W-what doth you want from me!?” She cries out, backing away from both of you into the corner of her tent. You frown wishing that she didn’t see you as a threat as well as the jester’s eye twitches at her. 

“NO, NO RECOGNITION OF MY WORLD?” Amusement clocks in his voice. She turns her helmet at him as he slowly floats up to her, dragging his tail against the ground. The jester tsks as he levitates right up to her sword, pressing his chest against it.

The snake whimpers, clearly frightened by the lack of fear he had at her only form of defense. Jevil smirks at her pointing at the sword.” DON’T YOU SEE THE FACE OF THE ONE YOU STOLE THE SWORD FROM?”

The gears in your brain start turning, his question making everything crystal clear. You told him that you woke up without your sword with you and you thought that you just lost it when you got banished here… He doesn't think that it was an accident that you woke up without dragonslayer and you hated to admit it but he might be right.

It would make sense for someone to steal your weapon off of you but you didn’t want to assume that this darkner here stole it, especially if that means that Jevil’s going to play with her based on the assumption.

“Jevil! Who says that she stole my sword from me?” You shout, taking a step closer to the jester and the Golden Pain’s helmet shifts over to you, the tip starting to press into Jevil further. You stopped moving, eyebrows raised by the action. She isn’t trying to hurt him right?

The clown chuckles, his teeth bared against each other as his smile takes up more space on his face. “GO ON, DO IT,” He grabs the blade of the weapon, trying to force its metal inside of him. “I KNOW, KNOW TOO MUCH. IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE CHAOS, CHAOS...”

If she jabbed the sword forward it would be game over for him. You have never seen anyone who has lived after having the dragonslayer go inside of their chest. You freeze in place, not even taking a single breath. What was Jevil doing? 

The Golden Pain’s hands quiver violently. The sword trembling, making slight movements at the jester's chest. “W-whats has gotten into you? I haven’t the faintest idea of you ever acting like this to me before!” A drop of red blood hits the ground and Jevil doesn't even do so much as flinch.

“HA HA HA! WAS ALL OF THAT TALK ABOUT WANTING ME TO DROP DEAD JUST LIE, LIES? YOU’VE WANTED THIS FOR SO LONG…” His grip on the blade tightens causing red to spill out of his hands, as he pushes the swords tip fully inside of him.

You throw your hands over your face, thoughts racing inside of you. You can tell that he must have some sort of past with whoever was behind the mask. Did they bully him or something?

If they told him to drop dead that's the most reasonable conclusion you could make, the cloud of tension made it hard to see all of the thoughts and details entering your mind making it a cluster of a mystery that you couldn’t unravel.

“J-jevil…” The word rockily comes out of her mouth, as small tears come from the bottom of her visor. “I-i command you to stop!” Jevil’s eyes go dull with an empty chuckle exiting him.“AS YOU WISH-” He pushes the sword back, showing off a small gash peeking through a ripped hole in his clothes, the wound, trickled blood down from it without the pressure of the sword keeping it in. 

You bite at your lip almost a bit… happy it didn’t hurt him further? It wasn’t that you cared about it… Its the fact that if the wound was just a bit deeper, then the Golden Pain would have to live with his blood staining her hands and you knew what that hell felt like. You didn’t even know what to do in this situation…

It felt like you were out of place, while these two had a history that connected them together in this horrific performance of self-mutilation. You didn’t know what you could do beyond watch. 

Jevils eyes glow, an amber as he watches the blood trickle down the sword. “HOW DISAPPOINTING…” He holds up the palm of his hand, a clear cut straight through his palm from his grip on the sword.

“THIS IS ALL YOU COULD REALLY DO?” The serpent gasps backing away from him, you could spot her eyes through the grills of the visor, she kept looking at the closed exit doors of the tent. You’ve seen that behavior before in yourself when you were around the jester, and you couldn’t blame her in the slightest. This is terrifying to witness…

“YOU CAN STEAL, STEAL BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO GALL TO KILL, KILL…” He pounders, placing his hand on his chest, sticking a finger into the wound. He takes in out, the finger covered in his own blood he presses it against the tip of the sword running it down the top of it. 

“TELL ME, WHAT MADE YOU THINK TO TAKE, TAKE SOMETHING SO PRECIOUS FROM MY WORLD?” He suddenly teleports away from where he once stood, sending your heart into a panic. A scream comes from the Golden Pain, and your eyes dart towards her to see Jevil wrapping his hands against the gloves that held onto the hilt of the sword.

“A SECRET, SECRET NOT KEPT WELL~” She tugs back on the sword failing miserably at getting control of her hands back from him. Every movement showed signs of her giving up, a desire to just leave before things got even worse. You were an unwilling bystandered, knowing full well the torment it was to have the jester make you his plaything.

“I-i…” She turns her helmet away from him streams of tears falling down her face. ”I-if you just want the sword back you can just t-take it!” She lets go of the weapon, only for Jevil’s hands to visibly tighten on her red-covered hands.

“BWA HA HA!!! I DON’T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND…” He leans into her his eyes going a straight black, that made your toes curl. A chilling burst of air went across you, knowing that you’ve seen that exact same look from another a long time ago.

“YOU MADE YOUR CHOICE LONG AGO!” 

No… No… NO… You’ve heard that before! You’ve SEEN that look before! You can’t- You can’t see them again! You can’t have them happen to you again! Not even thinking about it you throw yourself at Jevil, dragging him down to the floor with you. He lets go of the Golden Pain’s hands, and the sword gets flung onto the dirt ground, clattering at it comes to a standstill on the dirt.

“Finally, you did something!” Yells the snake as dust kicks up in the air, coving everything in a cloud of dirt particles. You cough from the shield of disgusting bits of the earth as you try to bring yourself back off of the ground, only to notice that the spot was you landed was much more… soft then the dirt should be.

Cold wet hands entangle your own digits as the dust clears up around you. Small yellow pinprick eyes inches away from you as his soft breaths hit your lips.

The not-so-solid ground underneath you dips up and down from the fools breathing. The jester's lips were slightly parted in a deep purple painting all of his features.“M-MY WORLD…?” Nervousness stitched up his own words, as his ears pressed against his face. 

Your eyes open wide in horror, as vomit threatens to come out of your mouth. You're pressed so firmly against his small frame and you could feel the warm blood on his chest staining your shirt. You whimper in pure terror as you quickly get on your knees and start pushing against the ground to get away from his acidic touch.

Something thin wraps itself against your back, forcing your body back to being against the fools own. Jevil’s eyes go half-lidded as pink hearts start to sprout in his eyes. 

“MY WORLD… YOU’RE ALL OVER ME… LOVE, LOVE…SO MUCH…” You struggle against whatever was on your back, before noticing his the end of his tail on one of your sides. His tail was stopping you from getting away from his disgusting revolting touch on your whole frame! You never even thought of him doing something like that before! His breath on your comes out hotter on your lips, as you feel his tail press you further into him. 

“I WANNA TASTE, TASTE YOUR CHAOTIC FLAVOR…” He mumbles, licking his lips all around as his eyes focus on your lips like they were some kind of sweet. Your life flashes before your eyes, as your eyes nearly bulge out of your skull. H-he can’t be wanting to really kiss you right? R-right? Tears well up in your eyes, as you whine pitifully at just the thought of what he's planning on doing next. 

He slowly closes his eyes, lips puckering up as he slowly starts advancing towards you. You throw your hands around trying to get out of his grip but he must be using some of his magic because no matter how hard you tried you couldn’t free them. His lips barely brushed against yours when your instincts took control. 

Your head bashes into his in a headbutt. His tail and his hands let go of you from surprise as his head gets flung off of his body digging a hole straight through the earth beneath him. Your eyes widen as you roll over to the side as the head catapults itself and the body into the top of the tent. His head rips through the top of the tent as he falls back to the ground with a sickening thump.

You would have thought that the darkner might have been dead if it wasn’t from the laughter coming from his fallen body. “HE HE HE!! HA HA HA!! BWA HA HA!!! MY WORLD HIT ME AGAIN, AND AGAIN!!”

He hysterically cries out as he sits up off of the floor with his tongue out and his pink eyes staring into you lovingly. You get up off of the floor, wiping off the dirt and pretending that your soul wasn’t beating out of your chest. He was so close to kissing you back there…

You take a large step back from him only to lose your balance as your foot syncs into the uneven ground. You look down at the floor only to see carved out lines drawing a picture on the ground. This must be what Jevil was writing with his tail… In the ground, you could make out two distinct symbols. 

A crown and a diamond. 


	16. The Void Smiled Back at Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The void was fluffy and cute as well.

You had only known of the Golden Pain for thirty minutes at most. A brief whimper in the giant cogs of time that keep ticking by. Her fake golden armor and her pompous attitude left the taste of ash inside of your mouth. 

Revolting for one dressed as a knight to have that opposite of a chivalrous attitude. But… then Jevil got involved… and you were left with a lot of questions that you weren’t sure if you could untangle.

Jevil… He was the second Joker of the castle. A position of entertainment. A fool that acted for the amusement of others and whoever was underneath all of that clunky armor. She had a sour past with him. Was she a bully to him? Maybe she just hated Jevil’s shows and didn’t like being around him?

Whatever her correlation was to him was it wasn’t one that was made of rainbows and sparkles… And these symbols he wrote down just jumbled ideas and theories going on inside of you. 

A crown and a diamond… The diamond part was obvious. The Golden Pain couldn’t hide her serpent body that gave away her species being a Rudinn of some kind. But the crown… 

Royalty…The diamond and the crown, the King of Diamonds… Was she close to him in some way? She was cowardly and rude but it was possible that she could be a close servant or guard of his.

If anything that did give a definite probability of Jevil and her meeting so that would explain how they have butted heads in the past. It was curious why he would even carve these symbols into the ground. Did he write this to taunt her about knowing her true identity? 

Also apparently she stole your sword as well? And Jevil knew this somehow? God, that's even ignoring the fact that he almost just kissed you- 

Just the thought sent a shiver of disgust down your spine. You had so much to think about and your brain felt like it was ready to split in half! This whole day has been a huge mess… A mess that was only going to pile up more and more as time goes on. Jevil seems to have that effect on your life…

Just as a mess as the giggling fool was currently. The soft laughter coming from the jester’s dark purple cheeks with a dreamy loving look saturating his heart eyes, petting the spot where your forehead slammed against his like a cat that refuses to leave your lap. He was admiring the spot like a trophy of some kind. Like you just gave him a gift. 

“HA HA...WAY TOO MUCH FUN, FUN…” He muttered, smiling and giggling like a loon being dragged off to the funny farm. You were happy to see that he did heal the gaping wound in his chest during his weird dazed state. 

From the lack of blood coming from his forehead, he must have healed his hands as well. The wet red that sunk its teeth into your top wished he would have done it sooner…

You sigh cursing the cruel world you lived in… You pretty much only had this top the only other clothing you really had being old and tattered. 

At least… all of this was worth it- You would be getting your daring dragonslayer back at long last! A small smile raises on your face. Yes, there was a big silver lining to this storm cloud. 

You take a quick look to the spot where the clanking of the fallen sword rung in your ears… Only to be greeted with just the black dirt that covered the world. You tense up as a drop of sweat goes down your face. 

Oh no…

Your eyes flail around the arena, begging to some kind of angel above that the sword just fell to a different spot then you thought. The jester, was no longer worshiping the bruise that your attack left off his forehead. 

No, his now yellow again eyes were glued onto you, with a knowing smile… Like he knew that all you would find was the dirt on the ground. 

Shattering glass came from inside of your head as the emotional control panel of your mind explodes into a pile of smoke and brimstone. The single-strand that keep that part of your mind running properly snapped in half. “That ungrateful little-!”

You go out of your way to save her after she gave up your sword and this is the thanks you get?! Her running away and deliberately grabbing the weapon that caused Jevil to STAB himself and nearly make her faint from fear! He even knows who she is! He totally would go and get it later and make his little show ten times more terrifying! What kind of idiotic selfish cretin would have the foresight of a fly who keeps trying to exit through a closed window? The nerve!

An evil darkened chuckle comes from the jester as he floats up off of the ground. “HA HA HA! HOW PREDICTABLE OF HER!!” He holds his arms out in front of him, gesturing at the dirt and blood splattered dirt underneath him. 

“REWARDING YOUR KINDNESS WITH NOTHING BUT DESPAIR!” Jevil’s yellow darkened dull gaze looked at you with the same tale he was telling the Golden Pain. But you didn’t speak its language. 

You tighten your fist. You felt so used and dirty… She took advantage of you! You may both share a disliking of the jester but it's clear to you that she is in no way your ally. 

“How dare she-!” Betrayed by someone that you just tried to save, how despicable. You look down at the ground, gathering some of your salivae and spitting on the place she once stood. You couldn’t even pretend to have sympathy for her

A hand caresses one of your cheeks as a soft chin rests itself on your shoulder. “HE HE HE… BUT LO... SHE’S UPSET MY WORLD… STOLEN SOMETHING FROM THEM ONCE AGAIN…” 

There was a strange softness to his words. They had the intent to calm you down in some way but Jevil’s loud obnoxious voice along with his vile touch stinging at your skin, only made you force your hand down before it punched his sorry face.

“UEE HEE HEE…MY WORLD… MINE… SHE HURT, HURT YOU...” His speech lingers on the word my, making you bite your lip as your mind screamed at the assertion. He just calls you my world that doesn't mean that you are in any way his… 

His hand lifts itself off of your cheek as his chin left your skin, pulling his face back to meet yours. The dullness in his eyes gained a red tinge that made your skin crawl as a closed jaded smile bore into your psyche.

“Let’s take, take something from her that she can never get back...” The quiet calculated voice gave you whiplash. Just moments ago he was attempting to whisper and he still wasn't able to keep up that tone, but when he's maligned and furious, it's like second nature to him to have that cold voice. 

You freeze caught in the madman's headlights. That tone brought you back to last night… made you remember him taunting you as he forced the metal to puncture your skin. The blood dripping down you as your body seized with waves of pain as tears flew down your face. You could still feel every single part of that torment.

That was your punishment for the heinous crime of not smiling at the fool, a crime that you intend to repeat for as long as he stayed in your life. If he did all of that… just from something that small… 

That did not bode well for whatever he intended on ‘taking’ from the Golden Pain...

“J-jevil…?” The warmth of his forehead made the flower of worry have a wonderful flower bed with enriching and plentiful nutrients to flourish through your entire mind garden. You hate it… Your thoughts are suffocated by his presence… 

“W-what are you going to do to her…?” The words right coming out, your throat getting scratched with every syllable, wanting nothing more than to keep silent. It like it believed that by being very quiet the being in front of you would grow bored and finally leave you alone.

A shimmer of comfort appears in his eyes, as his tail twitches behind him. His forehead backs away from your own the surface now feeling itchy and wrong. 

A shimmer of amusement dances in his gaze as a hum comes from the bluish-grey goblin. He stretches his arms out floating backward finally away from your personal bubble. It's hard to believe you even have one still after how many times Jevil has violated it. 

“BWA HA HA! JUST A SIMPLE LITTLE CHAOS MY WORLD...” And as fast as a flick of a lightswitch Jevil’s voice returns to normal, giving no indication of the horrors that lay beyond it before. Horrors that were even more terrifying now that you couldn’t tell the threat he held inside. 

He smiles, clearly noticing the conflict battling on your features. “NOTHING TO FRET, FRET! WE’LL PLAY, PLAY A GAME THAT SHE’LL NEVER FORGET!” You couldn’t be calm about this is you tried. You bite your lip looking down to the downtrodden earth, his answer only serving to heighten your anxiousness...

“Jevil, uhhh….” Should you step in and stop him? Golden Pain did need someone to knock them off of their high horse but… you didn’t know if Jevil would push them off into a large deadly hole. 

You look back up at him, he was casually levitating in the air just like how you saw him before but he was much farther away from you. In fact, he was rather close to the back of the dark tent now. 

You raise an eyebrow at him, looking at his suspicious behavior. “What are you doing?” You question, leading the fool that occupied your worries to wink at you. “I’LL BE RIGHT BACK, BACK-!” He playfully announces, tail swishing behind him. A sinking feeling appears in your chest, Was he planning on torturing them now? You take a couple of steps forward, raising a hand in protest. 

“Wait Jevil-!” You call out, making your decision. Yes, she betrayed you… One of the worst things anyone could ever do to you… But, if you let him do this, there's no telling what line he would cross during his play session. You knew what it felt like having a trail of blood behind you and you wouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone, not even Jevil. 

The curtains magically open behind him and he holds his arm up kissing the palm of his hand, he puts his hand down horizontally blowing the kiss back at you. You put your hand up into the air and karate chop the kiss in half, leaving both halves sprawled out on the dirt below. “Jevil didn’t you just hear me?! Wait for a second!” You yelled out, annoyed walking forward with your hands on your hips. 

The jester chuckles, moving behind the curtains as they start closing once again. Your eyes widen, as you suddenly start running over to him. “I said WAIT!” You shout, narrowing your eyes as an arrow of panic hits you straight in the stomach. He was willfully ignoring you! He probably just wanted to get the bloodbath going before you could try to stop him. That son of a- 

In the crack of the dark curtains, your pupil expands as you spot something changing in his eyes. The dullness he held before was back, but uglier not even attempting to hide the contempt and tiredness he felt. The last second, the corners of his mouth upturn, and his sharp teeth glitter sadistically in the light. 

Oh… He was totally going to kill her…

The dark colors of the canvas collide together, shutting you off from the wonders of the outside world… and Jevil. You fling the curtains open, praying that he didn’t use his magic to teleport away the second that the curtains shut but the lack of his purple and black color scheme made that theory more than likely a reality. 

Only the dully colored carnival tents and crowds greeted your eyes. You bite at your lip, at your fingers dig into the canvas fabric of the tent. He’s long gone… isn’t he? Teleported away and all you are left with a massive ball of tangled thoughts and anxiety. But… he might not have teleported… At least that's the idea your selling to yourself.

Your eyes searched through the darkners walking by. A small hint of purple makes your pupils shrink, only to have your excitement be disappointed by a purple snow cone that taunted you. How was that the only bit of purple that you saw? It's a bit weird how little of the color there seems to be…

A sock themed worker was holding the disappointing purple shade and was handing it off to the Rudinn customer in front of him. Wait… You narrow your eyes at the blue hood combined with a black shirt... Is that… the same spade Rudinn you saw before? The snake hands the dark dollars over to the sock, turning around to reveal a shaky and paranoid gaze. He looked like he thought someone was going to pounce on him at any moment. A small walkie talkie was firm in his hand, well, as firm a shaky terrified darkner could have it. 

Did… you do that? Was the sight of you just that scary to the poor guy? You knew he ran away from you but you didn’t think that you standing there menacingly was enough to nearly make him jump out of his scales! 

Your soul thumps in your chest as his frantic eye movements cross you. His pupils shrink as he goes completely still for a solid moment. You nervously look away from him. Should you… hide behind the curtains or something? You didn’t want to give this snake any more PTSD over your mere presence. 

His mouth falls open as the cheap icy dessert, falls out of his palms, splattering on the ground much like the snakes own sanity. You lift a finger wanting to say that you weren’t going to hurt him but he leans the walkie talkie into himself. “C-CODE RED- ACE!” He shouts, negating the need to even bring the device closer to him, and causing the crowd to look over at him. Your eyes widen. A-ace? Does he mean… one of the aces?

“W-wait who are you talking to on that thing?” You stammer, taken completely aback. You must have not heard him correctly- Why in the dark world would an Ace be doing work at a carnival? He slithers back away from you with a pleading gaze. “I-I DON’T WANNA DIE-!” Small tears well up in his eyes, utterly petrified of the darkner, staring straight back at him. 

That was the same look that Jigsawry gave you… That pleading, crying face that thought that any moment could be it's last as it begged for mercy from you. A look that you were sorry to say… that you’ve seen far, far more than just those couple of times. But those days were far behind you.

You were staring into the keyhole of yesterday. The only thing you could see into beyond the door of blood-tinged souls. You avert your eyes, seeing the concerned gazes the carnival-goers spared the Rudinn. You were the bringer of this past that you hold, but you were too cowardly to meet it head-on. 

You’re pathetic… 

You could hear the desperate slithers of the serpent against the ground running away as soon as he was out of your sight. 

You thought you left that life behind you. You thought that by being a guard you could protect darkners from the ones that live a horrible life like the one you once did. But from the two terrified faces, you had caused in one day. You don’t know if you’ll ever be able to leave the spider web that… ▇▇▇▇▇ left you in. 

You don’t think you have a choice…

Something tugs at the back of your clothing and your hair stands on end. Whoever it was wasn’t touching your body yet, but it was far too close to completing that achievement. You tighten your fist, before turning around to meet the mysterious culprit. You blink seeing nothing but the normal decor of the carnival around you.

“Uh- Excuse me…” A soft voice comes from the ground below you, and your eyes follow its gentle seance. Cute dotted white eyes greet your own, through the shine of the round glasses that laid on his snout. He was… so small. He was only tall enough to reach your knees. 

The darkner that got so close to touching you was just a little kid. A needle of guilt stabs you from the fact that you got so defensive over it… If you knew that he was a child earlier, you wouldn’t have gotten like that. His eyes light up a little seeing your attention placed on him. 

“I was wondering…ummm…” His face hides from yours looking down to the ground and causing his oversized jade wizard hat to be dragged further down his small black fuzzy face. “-If you’re not busy of course…” You soul soar with that shy little action from him. What can you say? You’ve always had a special soft spot for kids. 

He slowly raises his head back up. His fanged mouth looks up at you with a cautious smile, like he was worried about you yelling at him or telling him to get lost. “C-can you help me with something?” 

It's funny that he would ask that like it was a question when you couldn’t be able to say no. “What do you need help with?” Your voice is calm and collected, gentle like a mother reading a bedtime story to their offspring. 

The darkner averts his gaze, outstretching his paw to you. “Can I lead you there?” The gesture was none threatening. It's normal for someone to hold hands when guiding someone to their destination. It's a situation that's given you a lot of ire in the past. 

Your tour of the castle was much more awkward when you refused, your Rudinn partners attempts at holding your hand to make sure you wouldn’t get lost… Even worse is that you did end up getting lost. 

But, this is not Rudinn… This is not an adult…

You place your hand on top of his, wrapping your fingers around the child’s hand. It didn’t hurt. There was no burning sensation, horrible tingly, or tension filling your body. You were perfectly fine.

He is a child… And no child has ever hurt you. 

The fluffy shadow’s mouth curves upward, a beam of sunshine and childish excitement. It’s an expression you adored seeing. “Oh, thank you! It’s right this way.” He grabs your hand, taking small steps as he led you into the unknown. 

There was something really nice about the warmth coming from his paw. It’s nice to be able to enjoy the feeling of touch without getting that stab of anxiety you always do. A small smile creeps onto your features. For a brief moment, you could pretend. Pretend that Frisk was here with you.

The hand in yours tugs you in another direction, and you wake up from your fantasy. A large tent rented your eyes vision. A large neon sign sat right above the massive tent. Blue, green then red, assaulted your eyes with crowbars and spiked bats as they beat them into submission. You wince, squinting your eyes at the bright lights. After a couple of seconds, you can finally read what the annoying contraception was spelling out. Arcade. 

You pull your eyes away from the lights, getting white spots in your vision for a couple of seconds. Arcade… The insides of the tent weren’t much better than the outside. 

Flashes of bright rainbow colors came from the different machines situated inside, and not to mention the cacophony of sound echoing from the speakers of the games. The loud obnoxious sounds reminded you of someone... 

A certain Jester that you shouldn’t be thinking about. The child gestures to the inside of the tent. “It’s right in here…” He noted, his voice slightly muffled like he was speaking into his long tunic. You blink, raising an eyebrow. 

“You needed… Help with something in here? Like… Are you asking me to help you with one of the games?” Was he just trying to get you to beat one of these weird little games for him? 

The child slowly down his steps, slowly turning his head up to you. His white beady eyes refused to meet your face as a soft pink coated his cheeks. “Y-yes…” He said, with shame cooking inside of his word souffle. 

Your eyes soften at the child, it was a little strange for him to come to a stranger for help one something so inconsequential like this but he is just a kid. 

“Hey, its okay, kid…” You gently squeeze his hand. “I got nothing better to do.” Your other hand comes up on instinct. Whenever Frisk got embarrassed, you’d always reassure them like this and rustle their hair. 

This isn’t Frisk though… You don’t know how this child would react to being petted. You put your hand back, with a small frown. You wish you could feel there silky hair under your fingers again. 

He smiles nervously at you, squeezing your hand in return. “T-Thank you. You’re much nicer then you look…” You’re soul swells, as the frown from before melts into a smile. It’s been quite a while since anyone has called you nice. The child nods his head in response to your happy expression, leading you into the tent.

Your eyes and ears are shot over and over again with stimuli and even more stimuli. If you thought the sounds you hear before were horrible it was nothing compared to actually being inside of it. 

Every one of these game cabinets was playing its own annoying soundtrack and they all bleed together into a horrific monstrosity of noise. The bright flashing lights dug into your eyes and you started to miss the dull colors that the rest of this carnival had. 

The games themselves looked rather strange as well. One of the games had a box on the floor that you were supposed to push in one of the cardinal directions on the gamepad. The pushes of the box translated to the box on the screen and the objective seemed to be to push the box on the button at the end. 

It almost looked fun but the puzzles themselves had the button one spade away from the starting point… and somehow the darkner that was playing it always got it wrong…

“Um… We’re here.” You take your eyes off of the depressing sight and you squint at the sight before you. A replica of a type of darkner was standing there in front of you. Its three-segmented red body, with its boxing gloves to match gave a good representation of a Bloxer. 

A pole connected the Bloxer to different halves of the machine. The words ‘try your luck against the Bloxer!’ was written against the base of the machine, with a slot for a dark dollar to be inserted and another one for the tickets to be expelled. The top of the contraption said ‘Hit me and see how weak you truly are!’ with a score counter right below it.

“Huh…” You mumble, folding your arms. A machine that would test your strength… You could only imagine that the makers of it wouldn’t consider anyone of your power trying this sucker out. If anything you would be a perfect fit to get this machine to churn out as many tickets as the kid wanted. 

That's how this worked right? You get tickets based on how well you do in the games… At least that's what that one book you read to Frisk told you. But… you were pretty clueless of the specifics of this process.

“You see…” The fuzzballs lets go of your hand, leaving a remarkably empty feeling when he left. He stands right next to the machine, the poor lad didn’t even make it past the fake Bloxer's legs. 

“Though FIGHTing is unnecessary in this world. There’s no harm in a thorough lesson!” Enthusiastically the words come out perfectly like he had been reciting them, strangely enough. 

You press your lips together, not sure what he meant by that statement. “Lesson...? Kid, I know how to fight...” You felt almost a little offended but he probably didn’t know the assertion he was making.

The shadowed creature's eyes shrink, as his body stiffens. “Oh…” drips out of his open muzzle. You let out a soft sigh, the idea of you already knowing that didn’t even cross his mind. “It’s alright, you just wanted to help…” Just like frisk did when they would tell you how grass grows and the rain cycles. They just wanted to teach the things they learned. 

You gesture at the dummy that taunted you with a “Let me show you my training! YIHA!!”. “So you want me to punch him right?” You ask, staring at the child. Lord knows that you love messing up after guessing something wrong...

The child nods his head breaking out of his slightly surprised state. He turns around, reaching up to his hat and digging his paw inside, pulling out a crisp dark dollar. “I know that someone like you should be strong…” He comments sticking his dollar into the slot. The dollar zipped itself inside and maniacal laughter comes from the machine. 

“You think that you can be strong enough to beat me...?! HOOH!!” And with that generic phrase, the different segments of the Bloxer start moving. The darkner child steps away from the contraption, holding his paws together. “Please aim for the head. It gets the most points!” 

You crack your knuckles on your hands, shaking them out and stepping towards the game. “I just hope I don’t break it…” A small amount of sweat drips down your forehead as you stare face to face with your mechanical opponent. You were a slight bit nervous... This was your first time doing this sort of thing and you didn’t know what amount of pressure you should put into your swing. 

“GOOH...! You dare to fight me…?” You grit your teeth, your fist tightening. Sure, it was just voice lines coming out of some piece of tech but for some reason, it felt eerily familiar… Unwarranted confidence. 

“HIYAH…! No one can defeat me!” Your eyebrows tighten against your skull. -The insistence on being unbeatable. Acting like there some big show when you could bend and break them with a well-placed swipe. 

“GOOH...! I'm gonna knock your block off at this rate...!” The speaker impatiently cries, making your eyes narrow into a glare. It pretending to be strong when it was nowhere near your goddamn level-! Pompous and arrogant like they're some kind of savior to us mere mortal darkners. A REAL angel that would leave the world for our taking!

“You interrupt my training and you won’t even attack?! WEAK!” Your fist tightens raising up with a deadly stare that could make any baby cry. Every word it says pisses you off- How dare it call you weak?! Just because you don’t have your sword that doesn't make you weak! B-but if it didn’t you wouldn’t have applied to be a healer, would you?

Ughhh… How dare it act like it’s so much better than you in every way?! Just because it’s able to be whats it's supposed to be? Why does it get to be overconfident and ignorant while you have to live in pain and misery from your memories and a rotten jester?!

WHY DID IT HAVE TO ACT LIKE THAT DAMN FAKE KNIGHT?!

Small sparks come from the flung off head of the robot as its speech slows down coming to a complete halt. Your soul pumps out of your chest as your breaths go deeper. Did you… do that? You look down at your hand, the knuckles of yours stinging from clear use. Were you just that angry that you punched on instinct?

“W-wow! That was an amazing attack!” That child… he saw all of that just now…B-but he didn’t sound afraid, luckily enough. No, weirdly enough, there was joy quaking in his words. You turn your head to the side, seeing the black fluffy child. His eyes sparkled and glowed as his smile went ear to ear on his maw. 

Confusion coats your face until you feel something touch your outer leg. Looking down lines of tickets were spewing out of the machine like water from a cracked dam. You shake your head chucking slightly. Of course! He was just excited about all of the tickets on the floor. He wasn’t thrilled about your strength. He wasn’t going to make you use your strength. 

He was a child, not ▇▇▇▇▇.

The white-eyed cutie gathers up as many of the tickets he could from the quickly growing mountain.”Um… Can you help me move these?” He politely asks and you can feel yourself smile once again at the cute little boy. You gather a pile in your arms, and you follow his footsteps over to the counter with a big sign that said ‘PRIZES’. 

The worker of the counter couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of you.“W-w-what? H-how did you even break th-?” You and the fluffy boy set the tickets down on the table, and she blinks, sweat starting to travel down her forehead. “Uh… Miss?” The lad asks, gentle and concerned with the fright the worker was showing. “Y-yes…?” She responds, moving her eyes to the countertop shaking. 

The child's eyelids lower in concern as worry strikes his helpful grin. "A-ah, sorry! I would just like a scarf, please... “ Apologizing to something that wasn’t his fault at all… Taking the blame. Something that… Frisk would often do when something went wrong during your time together.

You would always reassure them that it wasn’t anywhere close to being their fault but no matter how hard you tried you could sense the shame building up in them. It's one of the only things you didn’t like about your lightener. They were too hard on themselves. 

The worker throws herself below the counter. The sound of breaking glass plays, then you can hear a soft buzzing noise, as the worker curses at herself under her breath for taking this stupid job. A single one of her hands rise up and slams the scarf onto the countertop. 

“T-there now please go-” She pleads, sinking her hand back down to the unimaginable deaths that laid just beyond your sight. She clearly wasn’t cut out of this type of work with a nervous nature like that …. Although you might have caused her to react like this from your outburst of energy. Oh well…

The child hesitantly grabs the scarf, pulling it off of the countertop and holding it close to him. The pads on his fingers rub the texture and a soft giggle comes from him wrapping it around his neck. “T-thank you so much for helping me!” 

That pure happiness that a child gets on there face from the simplest of things, that's your favorite sight. “Don’t worry about it. I was… happy to help.” You announce with a true bonified smile on your features, one that only seemed too happy to make its appearance. It's funny to think that only yesterday that you built up the gall to show your positive emotions like this. 

Getting that first smile out with Seam was a good stepping stone, a good start to finally feeling free. In spite of the absolute hell, you have gone through there is a silver lining to your thunderstorm. You made friends and learned how to show your emotions to others. If you didn't you wouldn't be able to have this moment. 

“I forgot to ask… what's your name?” Surely, this adorable polite kid had a gentle name to go with his kind personality He stares deep into you like he was looking at your very soul to see if it was a good idea to tell you. 

“Ralsei-” He said it normally, like any normal darkner would but something panged inside of you from its utterance.“-A-and well I guess this is goodbye.” He looks down at the floor gently kicking at it, as if he was nervous about the prospects of his statement. 

You couldn’t blame him when the thought of the joy you’ve gained flying away from you was soul shattering. But you can’t force him to stay and he can’t be with you forever to keep you like this. This is just what fate dictated. “Well Ralsei…” It was unique but the word seemed at home on your tounge like you had prepared for saying the word your whole life. 

“-It’s been an honor helping you.” You didn’t want it to stop. You wanted to help him again and again. You didn’t want to go back. back to the jester who forcibly touches you and the maddness, he brings to you and your life. You wanted to stay here and feel complete for once 

His gaze softens, noticing the sadness that just entered you. His pads press against the bridge of his spectacles pressing it further into his muzzle. 

The end of the pink scarf tucked into his neck raises up flapping itself in a waving emotion to your amazement. “Don’t worry, I know we’ll meet again…” Meeting again, that sounds nice. Reassuring even if you had no way to know if he was telling the truth. You wanted to believe it though, it was like something inside knew that the statement was true without any real proof.

"I guess I'll see you later then..." He nods, with a pleasant smile on his face as he turns away from you. "Yes..." He steps away over and over again from the spot the two of you once were, spouting out a line that your ears didn't catch. 

“We don’t have a choice…"


	17. Guiltless Crime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the signs point to you.

The tiny holes cut in the dark sky shined brightly, singing praise and joy with its piercing light. The purple nebulas splattered across the horizon, melting and bleeding into the black of night.

That gorgeous night sky was one that the fake one of the dark world couldn’t compete with no matter how hard it tried. Then again, nothing down here could compare to being up there with your lightner watching the night sky.

The bundle of joy that sat next to you squirmed as their arm catapulted upward-pointing at a section of the sparkling stars. “Look (Y/N)- It’s the twins!” You could hear the spark in their eyes just from the excitement in Frisk’s voice. 

All of the time you spent reading and showing them the constellations in those old books all paid off. Hearing your lightner filled with such unrestrained passion and having them finally see those shining lights- It was nearly enough to make a tear peek out of your eye.

“Ah, I can see the two of them now…“ You said to them stroking the top of there head. The child giggled, nuzzling into your side. “-And look-! I can see the lion right there-!” The stars peeked out at you, not really connecting to make anything that looked like a lion, but you knew that in the fake connections Frisk could see the majestic beast. 

“The twins ought to be careful with a lion prowling around-“ It was almost ironic to think of that line now… Two that were bound together and another a creature seeking for a fresh kill.

What a coincidence. 

The fire that caressed the two of you roared, making you turn your head towards it. And there… there was the lion, ▆▆▆▆▆. Chunks of wood disappeared into the fire as they threw them inside, placing the excess in a pile nearby. 

“Ah, back already?” You said, amazed by how quickly *Redacted managed to gather all of that wood together. Just thinking about giving them praise made you want to go back and time and slap yourself in the face.

Their eyes focus on yours along with that grin of theirs. “Hey, I come back exactly when I’m needed.” That friendly, happy attitude was one you couldn’t stand. You knew what that bastard was and what they were capable of. Hiding there twisted thoughts behind a smile.

“Come on! I want to show you the stars!” Frisks called, as they sat up, there knees digging into the grass below. Your lightner waved both of there arms in the air, trying to catch ▆▆▆▆▆’s attention.

A soft chuckle came from ▆▆▆▆▆ as they threw another piece of the wood into the fire. “All right All right! I’m coming-“ They mossed down to the two of you, laying down on the cool grass below.

Your stomach churns as their eyes piece into yours. You didn’t know what those eyes meant then, but now you could see the tenderness those eyes held. That affection that built up over the year you had traveled together…

You shake your head, trying to bring yourself back to reality. You don’t need to think about that anymore. It only brings a dagger of shame and regrets jabbing into your stomach. Leaving the few ounces of self-respect and happiness you have trickling out blood.

Your mind was going to wander during your trip back to the Golden Pain’s tent but why was that the memory that had to pop into your head? Why did it have to be that one?

You look up at the crude night sky. The life and spark the one in the light world held was absent. Hell, nearly everywhere in this place had no majesty or wonder. The dark world was fake.

A cage for the darkners to suffer in for the rest of time. The skies, trees, dirt air, it was all artificial. None of it gave the feeling of awe the light world did for you and your sure that every other darkner down here felt the same.

To think you were so close to…

You shake your head. You shouldn't think about it. It's not like it could have ever happened anyhow...

You catch the back of the Golden Pain's tent in your vision. Finally! You have been walking for quite some time. You didn’t realize how far you traveled when you had Ralsei guiding you. You guess you were just preoccupied with feeling that warmth in your chest. Calm and relaxing. You miss the days when you could feel that feeling all the time. 

You really hope you get to see him again soon.

You pause your steps, reaching your destination. The tent greeted you with the same dull blue from before.

While it wasn’t the most exciting of places, you felt compelled to come back over here after your lovely detour with Ralsei. After all, this is where Jevil left you which means it will be the first place he’ll probably check for you.

While the idea of avoiding the jester did cross your mind you ultimately scrapped the idea. Jevil was going to find you no matter what you did and plus, you do need him to teleport you back to the castle. If you didn't find him you had no idea how to travel all the way back there. 

You just hope that he doesn’t get too sidetracked by whatever game he was playing with the Golden Scum... better yet you hope that he actually tells you the game he played but with Jevil's track record he most certainly wasn't telling a peep. 

Whatever there is no point with worrying yourself with those thoughts. You walk right up to the exit of the tent, sitting down on the dirt floor below. It’s been a long day…

Maybe you should just try to relax. Have at least one moment of peace in the hellscape cruelly called your life.

Yes, that’s probably what you need-

You take in a deep breath, letting out your stress in the breath escaping you. Its fine. Everything is fine. You’re going to be okay. You’ll survive this and one day, you’ll find somewhere you belong.

One day, you’ll be happy again.

“-He can’t find out. “ Your spine jumps up, straightening you as confusion enters your gaze. You turn around to see the same dull blue tent that you faced the Golden Pain in before. That voice… It came from right behind you... From inside the tent. 

“I understand that but-“ The words grow quieter mushing into the gentle sway of the wind. That didn’t stop you from getting a rather familiar taste from the vocal cords. Your forehead scrunches up. You couldn’t put your finger on its shaky anxious tone. 

“It will be okay. I just have to...” Curiosity bit at your throat, why was whoever they are even inside this tent anyway? Wasn’t it the Golden Pain's? You bite your lip. Would it really be that wrong for you to take a little listen to your mysterious guest?

Before you can think about the gross creepiness of listening into a stranger's conversation you lean into the tent, pressing an eager ear to its cheap fabric. 

A strange beating sound plays in your ear, speeding up then suddenly slowing down. A heartbeat? Huh, whoever is in there must be talking to a Hathy then.

Unlike the other darkners around, you weren’t really able to tell what a Hathy meant just from its heartbeat alone. You could tell from its expressions and the emotions it conveyed when in your sight but without being able to see them you might as well have been deaf. 

“You don’t understand- YOU didn’t see them.” Every time you heard that voice the more your inability to recall the darkner behind it made you tighten your fist. The bottom of the tent gets slightly shifted by the breeze, slightly scraping your body.

It was like it was begging you to lift it up… You shift your gaze away from it. Listening to the, was already a breach of privacy. Did you really want to go the extra mile and watch them as well? A single drop of sweat goes down your face. 

The Hathy’s heart palpitations pump faster and more erratically. It sounded almost a bit aggressive. “Of course! I’m going to get fired!” The voice snaps, going completely high pitched and louder than a baby crying at night. Your head flings itself away from the back of the tent, and you rub your poor abused ear. 

Fired? From what? Your eyes widen staring at the tent with a thirst for the knowledge it blocked you from gaining. You knew the answer would be just beyond the barrier of blue but could you bring yourself to that level of depravity? Would you lower yourself to Jevil’s level? 

Much calmer beats come from the Hathy's heart. “I know… I know, but you didn’t see the murder in their eyes!” You bite your lip, the questions in you overflowing.

You grip the edge of the tent, this decision the only thing present in your mind. You’ll just look for a second. Nothing long, just enough to satiate your curiosity.

You lean your body lower and you press the side of your face against the dirt. With a small pull, you raise the fabric just above your eye. 

Your pupil dilates, the puzzle to your mystery shining as bright as day. Standing in that desolate arena was a Rudinn bearing the emblem of a spade. The poor darkner that practically had a panic attack the two times you had seen him. That was the mysterious voice. 

Standing right next to him was another familiar face. It was a Hathy just like you suspected, but it was also carrying the same spade guard outfit…

You remember when you were hurrying to get to the front of the Golden Pains large gathered crowd, you had pushed away someone in a spade uniform that looked exactly like the Hathy. 

Your eyebrows furrowed. What were these two guards doing in this tent of all places? Well… The Golden Pain did leave rather suddenly and… Were they investigating what happened with that? Jevil’s blood staining the floor probably would tip them off to something terrible happening. 

But they don’t seem to be talking about any of that...

The Hathy looks at the Rudinn with a stern look and its heart skipped a beat. The Rudinn’s face tilted towards the ground, staring at the dried blood on the ground. “He’s going to flip when he sees this-” 

As if the Ruddin summoned something with their last comment, a large gust of wind hits the front of the tent, opening the closed entrance. 

Standing right outside of it was a medium-sized darkner, a light blue cloak concealing his frame with darkened shade. The hood of the cloak stuck up and formed a spade-like shape around his head while another small spade held together with the fabric covering him. His skin was dark, a pure black. 

He was dressed so much more refinedly and elegant than the other two spades in the room and the temperature seemed to change just from his presence alone. 

How powerful…

He steps inside of the tent, the wind stopping and allowing the entrance to close. The Rudinn chokes, his eyes bulging out at the sight of the figure. “O-oh my, Ace! You’re here already!”

He divebombs to the floor, laying out his arms in front of him as his tush sticks up to the sky. The Hathies heart went faster as a moment of panic scraps through it. It quickly bows to the figure. 

Your body turns to stone. The hand holding up the small section of the tent, trembling. You had heard the spades Rudinn mention talking to an ace over his walkie talkie… But seeing him right in front of you like this was serial. This was the highest-ranking member of the guards for the King of Spades, the Ace of Spades.

But… What was he doing here? What could be so important to make an important figure like him have to be here at this carnival?

The darkner’s head tilts up, giving you a gleam of an underside of a spade on his features. It made sense of the Ace to be the same suit as it’s king but spades are so rare now that it's hard to believe that there's another besides the royal family. Even more strange was that he didn’t seem to have a mouth. 

The Spade’s face became covered by darkness once again as a gloved hand leaves his cape, beckoning the Rudinn to rise off of the ground. The Rudinn shakily gets up, “Ace, I-I d-did everything I could to stop them I swear-!” He whimpers, his form cowering under the Spades slightly taller frame. 

The Spade’s hand reaches back inside of his cloak, rustling around and pulling out a folded and laminated paper. Your eyes twinkle curiously, as the paper springs all of its edges back into place, leaving no marks of it ever being folded.

Against your better judgment, you raise the edge of the tent up further, allowing both of your eyes access to the show. The spade holds up a photo You squinted as the spade shows the face of the item, revealing it to be a photo. 

Your breath catches in your throat. Your eyes blink rapidly and your jaw drops open. Your eyes scan the item repeatedly not being able to believe what was on it.

It was you. 

It was the picture that the castle took when you first became a guard, just something for them to attach to your file. Is this real? Is this actually happening? Why did the Ace have a photo of you?

The Rudinn winces, meeting the side of the tent with his eyes as his hands played with the walkie talkie in his grasp.

“W-well, I-I told you that I last saw them exiting this building a-and-” The Ace shook his head, holding out the picture closer to the serpent and using his spare hand to point at the image. 

“W-well in that picture, I-I can see a dangerous psycho t-that w-wants to rip m-my arms off…” He whimpers, tugging on the top of his hood, trying to shield his eyes from your terrifying face in the photo. You grit your teeth. 

Pulling on the arm of a Jigsawry as it screamed for its life, Its friend panicking and begging for you to let it go. Tormenting and laughing at them, loving the fear in their eyes. Red. All it took was a single touch from them and it all went red. No mercy. 

If they knew about that incident, they know you're dangerous. If they know you're dangerous… do they… are they… are they trying to arrest you? You heard the Rudinn call you a psycho and seeing the ace here with a picture of you…

Are you a criminal now?

Your world collapses around you. If you went back to the castle, you would be arrested… it cost your job… Your friendships...

That explosion of stress and tension, it cost you everything. The few small things you had, taken away by the softest squeeze. Those dreams became ash in the palms of your hand. What were you supposed to do now? 

You were back to being a criminal… Back to square one all over again. 

The Ace puts down the picture of you walking away from the Rudinn before stopping right next to the red dashed against the dirt below. His gaze shifts over to the Hathy, and it slowly rises out of its long-standing bow. He taps his foot at the dried-up pool of blood, pointing at it. Then, His hand turns upwards pointing at the picture.

The last shards of hope inside of you burn to a crisp as the horror of the situation dawns on you. They think you… did this? 

The Spade Rudinn looks down on the blood, shaking his head. “Ace… Do you think they're d-dust now?” White hits his body as he goes entirely pale. He looks like he's about to faint. You wouldn’t blame him.

If you were working on the first-ever homicide case ever in the dark world's history you think you would faint too. 

The Ace of Spade's head turns back towards the snake, watching his ragged breaths with little care of the creatures mental state. In response to his question, he brings a finger up to his neck, slowly drawing it across the surface.

Your eyes don't dare to blink watching the scene before you. Static forms in the air around you.

Killer. 

You never wanted to hear that word associated with you again. No more blood, no more dust, no more bodies. You promised to leave that life after you finally went down here- You promised on Frisk's grave to never take another life again! 

Karma wouldn’t let you forget the past would it? It would just keep rearing its ugly head. It wouldn’t let you forget. It wouldn't let you have a happy ending. 

You’re a murderer. 

You don’t get a second chance. 

The serpent's eyes widen, slithering back as he covered his mouth with his hands. “N-no… O-oh N-no…” His pupils turned into a mess of lines, squirming and moving around it horror.

“There's a k-killer on the loose?!” The snake breathes rapidly, barely getting any oxygen before taking another breath.

A small teardrop forms in the Hathy's eyes as its heartbeat slows to a crawl. It wipes it tentacle against its eyes, regret, and shame pouring out from it. It mournes. It mourns the life that it thinks you took from this world. 

You’ve seen that look too many times to count.

Rudinn places his hands on his head, digging his claws into his own flesh. “W-what are we s-supposed to do?! T-they’ve p-probably m-moved on to kill hundreds - no THOUSANDS of-” The Ace of Spades walks over to the serpent, laying his pointer finger against the no legged creatures lips. The Ace’s head shakes back and forth. 

The Rudinn’s eyes light up in surprise, understanding something from the spades body movements that you didn’t. “W-what do you mean t-they haven’t killed anyone else?” The Ace removes his finger from the Rudinn’s lips. 

A cold wind of silence attacks the tent. Tension rising like a tsunami gulping down everything around it. The Ace’s head twists slowly away from the Snake, slowly and deliberately in your direction. The knot in your stomach tightens as you feel adrenaline pour into your veins. His sight landed on you. 

You stared into the eye of the Ace. His resolve, his loyalty… and his malice for the scum he saw before him. You knew that you deserved every bit of it. 

The sound of a spade spawning splits through the air on top of you. Without even thinking you throw the curtain of the tent down, rolling away from the spade just as it hit the ground next to you. 

He’s attacking you already? Well, you guess you should have expected this- You spring yourself off of the ground. The fear of being arrested or killed with the adrenaline flowing through your veins… Memories. So many memories. 

You tried so hard. You hated the idea of just being around so many other darkners but you wanted to try- No, you wanted to succeed in being a part of something again. You wanted to do something that did some good.

You wanted to be… someone that Frisk would be proud of. 

Frisk… they wouldn’t be proud of you going to jail. Even though you've done enough horrible things to deserve it, you didn’t do this one. Being imprisoned, that isn't something that will right all of your wrongs.

In fact, this is all Jevil's fault. If the Golden Pain was really dead, he was the one that deserved to be locked up for it, not you. That's what Frisk would have wanted. They would have wanted you to try to fight this… to get the chance to be good like you promised them. 

The idea of Frisk being proud of you… gives you determination. 

Multiple spades fly through the back of the tent. You quickly dive to the side, as the spades cuts pile up on the surface of the fabric. Sooner or later that will give way and the back of the tent will open. You hope your nowhere close when it finally happens.

A scream comes from a skinny lanky darkner nearby. "T-THAT ALMOST HIT ME!" The heads of the creatures around turn to the tent spewing out spades. With there eyes all focused on the madness in front of them, none of them seemed to notice your departure. 

You only had one chance to do this and you had to make it count. 

Your eyes scan the ground for a moment, locking in on one place. The footsteps you left behind while Ralsei was dragging you away from here. You clench your fists, following the path with your feet exactly. 

"I-is someone doing target practice?" One asked from the crowd behind you, a little timidly offering some sort of explanation for the sight. 

"No, no. It has to be just some stupid prank!" Another cries out, much more confident in their assertion. You eyes scanned the games on your side of the carnival. 

Spin the wheel for a prize? No...

A look-alike of Rouxls Kaard asking for dark dollars in exchange for a photo with him? You wince just stareing at it. Double no...

You sweat slightly, worry gripping at your heart with a mightly hold. What if you can't find a spot to hide? You approach the next stand, your determination slightly wavering. 

A large tub of water meets your gaze. The water's surface was covered in rubber duckies. Several small ones were scattered across the surface with a large mega duck bobbing in the middle.

Two fishing rods stood on either side of the container, and you knew damn well that neither of them could pull out the large duck from the waters embrace. 

Regardless of the suspicious nature of the game the darkner that was running the stand was face down on the counter, snoring up a storm. The place has something large that you can hide behind and no one inside that was awake to rat you out. 

You smile, a small ounce of ambition rising in your chest. You could do this. This is the perfect spot for you. You just have to hope that you can-

Gasps come from behind you, multiple darkners muttering in disbelief. “O-oh my- Is that an Ace?” A high pitched voice echo's from the gathered darkners. 

"T-the Ace of Spades? What the hell is he doing here?" A frumpy older ladies cords come after the first solidifying how deeply you were screwed. 

Someone above was not smiling upon you today. 

Your eyes widen, he's out of the tent now and darkners are commenting on seeing an ace around. You just have to pray that he is too distracted by the crowd to see you do this.

You crotch down before doing a side leap into the air, diving down just behind the water-filled container. You quickly gather yourself up, curling up into a ball and placing your back firmly on the metal tub. You limit your breathing giving no indication you were there. This is all you can do now, wait.

With your footprints leading away from here, to the arcade there was barely any chance of him choosing to investigate here inside of going where the tracks lead. The only flaw with your plan was that there was a small chance he might have seen you jump back here. If he did… then it was all over for you. 

The voices were impossible to tell apart each of them rippling against you but none leaving any impact. The commotion grew louder in sound then, it was silent. The ground shakes underneath you as the waves of the water start ebbing and flowing everywhere.

Wetness hits your scalp as some of the water splashes right on to of you. A fallen duck hits your shoulder, quacking as it hits you then the floor below. You bite your lip to contain the shrill sounds threatening to exit you. 

Every moment that passed was agony. Time trickled on and you were unable to tell where the Ace went on his escapade to find you. If he saw you he would have surely looked for you here by now right? 

The quiet faded as soon as it came, the slithering and footsteps of darkners partaking in the carnival going as intended. The water above you calmed down, the surface stopping its violent movements. At least you didn't have to worry about another duck hitting you. 

That shaking was from the Ace of Spades, right? If he stopped it that means he left right? He's off of your trail. A soft sigh of relief exits you. You knew it was a good idea to have him follow your old footsteps to find you. You're a genius (Y/N). A genius!

Victory is so sweet!

You put your hand against the floor, slowly raising yourself up to leave. Rumbling comes from the water surface, rising and flowing rapidly. Your movements... surely wouldn't have been enough to cause the water to freak out like that. 

Somethings wrong... Somethings VERY wrong...

Your hand leaves the floor, causing your body to drop back down to the ground. Your body shakes as you realize just how stupid you really were. Did you really think that he would be gone so soon? Were you unable to see past your own ego to figure out the smart thing to do? You started moving far, far too soon- 

You just hope this mistake doesn't cost you your freedom. 

The sound of two feet on the floor hits and you know that you decided to celebrate victory far too early. What if that tremor just happened because he wanted to lure you out of hiding? Air is sucked through your mouth that you don’t dare to release. 

You can’t move even a single muscle. A gentle breeze in the air whips the space around you. The flapping of fabric plays in the air, the exact same sound a cloak would make.

Your eyes bulge out of your skull as you suppress the urge to scream. 

That was a trick, wasn't it? You can't believe you were that easy to trick! What is wrong with you? He found you! He was just playing mind games with you by standing there, wasn't he? He was going to strike at any moment and arrest you. 

In spite of your determination, you lost it all to just thinking it was all over. You failed your lightner… Just like you failed them before. 

Maybe it would be better for everyone if you were locked away anyways. You close your eyes, not wanting to see what would happen next. If he took you to jail, you would let it happen without a fight. Frisk wouldn't want you to hurt him.

Your head clanks against the metal tub behind you as arms entangle themselves around your form. A pressure places itself down on your legs as the scent of cotton candy fills your nostrils. A sad familiar chuckle plays in the air as the arms clamp down harder causing a cry to release from your throat. 

“MY WORLD IS STILL HERE… THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS."


	18. Eclipse

“J-jevil?” Your eyes shoot open, unable to believe what your ears just heard. Your eyes focus on the hat that laid in your vision, his face burying itself into your stomach. His purple and black jester hat, tickled against your chin as an exasperated sigh exits the fool's lips.

Your jaw drops open as your head moves back and forth. You couldn’t believe it. He was the one that stood there menacingly and caused the water to flip out on you? 

Why? Could Jevil even be that quiet? How could he have just… stopped for so long? Letting your heart palpitations get faster and faster as you start to see the golden gates waiting for you. 

“E-EVERYTHING IS OKAY, OKAY...” His devilishly tight hold gets even stronger, breath escaped your body not having the room to exist inside any longer. 

“CHAOS, CHAOS I WOULD PROTECT- I CAN DO ANYTHING!” He desperately mutters, anxiety pouring out of every syllable. Sweat pours down your face as you gasp, trying to take in oxygen that refused to enter. 

“C-can’t B-breath-” You use the remaining small amount of air inside of you to try to reach out to the psycho nearly strangling you with his “love”.

The words seemed to reach his elf-like ears as his arms throw themselves off of you. Your hands hold the ground under you and you take in all of the oxygen you possibly could with one breath. 

“MY WORLD! OKAY, OKAY?” Panicked shrill tones hit your ear, faster than he has ever spoken before. You cough trying to take in even more air around you. 

You couldn’t care less about the jester right now. All that mattered was getting those sweet, sweet molecules into your lungs. “I-I think you almost killed me-” You were exaggerating with that line, but you might have passed out if he hugged you another level harder. 

A pressure places itself on your chin, tilting your face away from the cold dirt ground. Your face meets the fool's own. His eyes stared at you with duller, thin pinprick eyes. They almost seemed to be staring straight through you. The pressure leaves, the hands of the fool moving themselves to cup your cheeks. 

You shiver from the awful touch as his hold feels… awfully shaky? A small soft smile comes onto his face from seeing yours, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes. “NO… ALIVE… YOU ARE ALIVE....” He chuckles, half-heartedly. 

“Don’t lie to me about that…” Seriousness was dripping from his that statement that made your stomach tie up into a knot. Your eyes widen, how did his voice change that suddenly? You bite your lip, something was off. 

The worry drenched in his eyes told a story that you were missing some pages to and you wonder how many of those pages came from Jevil and the Golden Pains playtime. 

“J-jevil, why are you acting like this?” The edge in his gaze softened, a tired sigh falling out of his lips. “YOU NOTICED…” A light coat of purple dusts his cheeks as his ears lowered. 

“YOU REALLY DO CARE, CARE…” The hands gripping your face rub circles where they held you, something that Jevil no doubt thought was another loving gesture. 

You grit your teeth, each circle feeling more violating than the last. He didn’t answer your question… of course, he didn’t. You weren’t even expecting him too. “EVEN IF HELLS BUBBLES ROAR FROM THE DEPTHS- “ 

The yellow eyes that bore into your’s close as his hands finally stop rubbing you like some old lamp .“-I’LL STILL HAVE YOU.” 

Still… Still have you, as if you belonged to him now. Just the thought made you want to spew chunks all over the floor. You granted him a date, you decided to proclaim him as your friend but you never said that you were his. You didn’t love him and you don’t think that he can do anything to change that. 

His face shifts forward his mouth uttering out a hum as he nuzzles into your cheek. You took a sharp breath in the second he made contact, your soul screaming on the inside. “HA HA HA… MY WORLD, I’LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU.” 

A threat jumped out from his words. A promise. It was something he was going to upheld no matter what happens. But you didn’t feel fear… It only confirmed your own suspicions about his obsession with you. You just hope that if you did end up behind bars, that he doesn't try anything to get you out. 

But, you won’t end up behind bars! All you have to do is find a way to clear your name… And it so happens that the jester in front of you is just the ticket for the location of the Golden Pain. 

Just get him to tell you the truth and you can use that so you get to keep your freedom. Getting Jevil to give you a straight answer… that was going to be the hard part.

Maybe it would be much easier if you… told him about the predicament you were in? You wave off that idea as soon as it arrives. No, that was a horrible idea. Who knows what Jevil will do if he found out about this? 

He might help you clear your name or maybe he’ll instead ‘protect you’ hiding you away to keep you safe. You don’t know what he would do if you told him. He was too much of a wild card to trust to do the right thing with the information. Your lips are sealed on this matter, end of discussion. 

Your teeth grit as you force your hands up to grab the fools assaulting cheeks. The Joker’s eyes shoot open wide as you push his face off of yours, your cheek screeching in relief. “J-Jevil- Uhhhh…” 

You stammer, trying to come up with some kind of excuse the jester would buy for interrupting his cuddle time. “Since I-” Your dignity shrinks to the size of a pea as your whole body tenses up. “C-a-r-e about you… Won’t you tell me what caused you to look so tired?”

The mystery of what surrounded the two of them grew more and more intense as time passed. His agitated shakiness and his creepy speech. Something big must have happened between them for him to act like this right? 

The jester's eyes dilate slightly. “OH-” His hand moves up, twirling one of your hairs in between his fingers. “THE PAST CEASES TO MATTER, NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE.” 

You lightly shake your head and pull the hair away from his sweaty fingers. He was hiding it, just as you expected he was going to do. You couldn’t help but feel that this one was different from the times he's been cryptic in the past. 

Before, his eyes would hold a playful attitude, merely making the interactions with him a game you would never succeed. This time… he looked powerless, not in control of the game like he’s supposed to be. 

“Jevil, I know you went to go see the Golden Pain so I’m guessing something happened to cause you to act like this.” The jester flinches for a brief second before breaking out into nervous laughter. “UEE HEE HEE! NOTHING, NOTHING HAPPENED! WE JUST TALKED!” 

You narrow your eyes at his answer, rolling them then looking up to the top of the tent. “Wasn’t the point of your trip to punish her and get my sword back?” You look back at the fool, sharpening your eyes to dig deep into his soul to find the truth. “Did you let her keep my property, Jevil?” 

He smiles nervously, tensing up his body with his tail bending lower. “UHHH… WELL.. YOU SEE, SEE…” He gulps adjusting his collar. “CHAOS, CHAOS?” 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” You groaned that was the only thing you actually looked forward to when his dance was done with the Golden Pain.

Your soul dips in your chest, disappointed but maybe now with the Spades thinking that you murdered her, having a weapon that she had on her before she disappeared was probably a bad idea. Yeah… That might have been a good thing in the end. 

“W-WELL, MY WORLD-” His hands imprison yours, wrapping around them with fingers that practically dug into your palms. “-TIME IS TICK-TOCKING BY!” The fool's legs float off of the ground, as his vision looks away from your dagger-like gaze. 

“NEED TO GO, GO NOW BEFORE OUR DATE REACHES ITS FINAL END!” Your mouth shifts to the side. He was playing the ‘change the subject’ card. What a coward… 

“Jevil, we need to talk about it and I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what happened.” Your eyes light up with determination. Your resolve is wrapped up by your words, tying a nice bow on the end. The fool stares into your eyes, his mouth going agape. Confusion, shock and worry flash in his eyes.

“YOU’RE DETERMINATION… “ The corners of his mouth tilts upward into a foreboding grin. Amber consumes his eyes. “HA HA HA!” He breaks out into a laughing fit, pulling both of your arms with the force of a 7.0 earthquake. 

Your eyes widen as the light breeze hits your back. The comfort of the cold metal leaving something between you and the prying eyes of the darkners around makes you go weak at the knees. If any of those spades happened to be looking inside of here then your cover was blown.

You stagger backward slightly trying to tear your hands from his, glaring at Jevil with hot prods for eyes. “Jevil!” Cool metal hits your calves, the tubs water swishing side to side from your movement. 

Jevil’s hands held on tighter, refusing to give up as his head tilts to the side. “SCARED, SCARED? IS HAVING FUN, FUN WITH ME THAT WRETCHED?” He almost looked a little offended at the prospect. 

“A-ace! We’ve looked all over and found nothing!” The world freezes as the words ting around inside of you like a pinball. That winy high pitched voice… That was the Spade Rudinn. Even worse, his voice sounded so close by.

Your eyes bulge out of your skull, nearly popping out and rolling on the ground beneath you. This is the worst possible thing that could have happened at this moment.

A cloud of blackish dust takes up all of your vision as you throw yourself at the dirt below you. Your soul beats inside of your head, a loud thunderous sound that overtook everything else around you. 

“I-i understand Ace its j-just… Okay, we’ll go back and check again…” Disappoint echoes in his tone, whimpering at the end. His voice was much more distant than before making a soft sigh fall out of your mouth.

Good. That means that he didn’t see you then… You felt a little bit of peace with that fact but your soul’s beating only seemed to increase. Wait… A small bit of sweat appears on your forehead. Why did the ground feel much softer than normal ground?

Why do you feel a sudden case of deja vu? 

Warmth wraps around you as the dust finally clears the space around you. An arrow of horror shoots through your brain at the sight in front of you. Jevil laid underneath you his face close by your neck, as his arms hug you tightly. 

“MY WORLD… NO WONDER I-” A small unhinged giggle comes from the fool as his face presses itself against your neck. “YOU’RE SUCH CHAOS, CHAOS! TWICE, TWICE IN ONE DAY! BWA HA HA!”

A violent shudder rips through your being, as you toss your hands to the ground. You lift yourself up, surprised when he simply let his arms fall off of you instead of fighting it like he normally does.

A pleased smile lays on his lips as a genuine wholesome look enters his eyes. “EVERYTHING… I’LL MAKE IT EVERYTHING PERFECT FOR US.” 

You grimace, your face turning a paler shade. Everything… everything about that was wrong. The look in his eyes and the pure resolve in what he said. Bile knocks on the door of your throat.

You lift one of your arms off of the ground getting ready to roll yourself off of the fool. Jevil seizes the moment rushing his hand over and grasping your own. “THIS HAS BEEN FUN, FUN BUT IF IT CONTINUES ON WE’LL MISS THE FINAL ACT OF THE DATE! HEE HEE HEE.”

Final act? Has it been that long since this whole thing started? “What final act?” Your blood goes cold just from asking it. 

His smile widens, the playfulness and smugness he usually wore returned to his eyes. “UEE HEE HEE!! SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!!” You didn’t like this. You didn’t like any of this. 

The final act you could only guess that it was going to be something in the carnival and that means that you’ll have to be out in the open with him where any of the spades can easily spot you. No, you can’t- That would be the last thing you did before ending up in the slammer. 

“J-jevil, I told you I’m not leaving!” Panic hits your voice, as your eyes go into a glare. Why can’t he just accept your wishes? Why can’t he cooperate with you at all? You try pulling your hand from his but the fool squeezes tighter. A light cry comes from you. 

“MY WORLD, I CAN DO ANYTHING-” Shade clouds up his face as his smile turns into a sinister warning.

“-AND I’M GOING TO MAKE YOU LEAVE. CLOSE YOUR EYES!” Your eyes widen, not even able to process his statement. He’s forcing you now? Oh god, he’s going to get you arrested with his stupid entitlement! 

“No no no! Jevil! I can’t lea-” 

Like that both of you disappeared from the tent, making the water in the tub wave back and forth one last time. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your feet hit something solid underneath you, and your knees buckle and sway. Dirt, black dirt is the only thing in your vision as you try to steady your wobbly legs. 

Chatter hits your ears, and your throat closes around itself. Jevil… He kept you at the carnival. Your palms grow sweaty, you knew- you KNEW he was going to do this. The thought of even raising your head from the dirt was paralyzing. 

What would you see in the carnival around you? The Ace of Spades pointing at you from a distance? That Rudinn Spade guard hurriedly talking into his walkie talkie about the manic being in sight? The Spade Hathy looking at you with disgust? What's the point in seeing any of it when you already know your fate in the end?

“HELLO, HELLO? MY WORLD?!” A purple gloved hand waves itself rapidly in your face as the other hand holding onto yours gripped harder. You grit your teeth. Him. He was the one that brought you out here to be crucified and tried for a crime you didn't commit. 

Your hands ball themselves into fists as anger radiates from your being. You hate him. You hate him so much. It was all his fault. If anyone killed the Golden Pain it was him. You wouldn’t have had to deal with any of this if you just never met this demon!

You force your head up, glaring at him with eyes deadlier than your Dragonslayer. Jevil tilts his head, only meeting your anger with a warm smile.

“AWWWW… YOU’RE ANGER IS SO CUTE, CUTE, HE HE!” You growl at him. You wanted to wipe that look of his sorry face but you didn’t need another thing to add to the Spades reasons you were being arrested. 

“Uh- so uhh… hey, it's your turn you two.” A prepubescent cracking voice enters your ears. You turn your head over to the sound, finding a tall dinosaur looking darkner with ruler markings going down his back and tail.

He was standing behind a series of levers and buttons and was gesturing ahead of him. “I-I know that you’re the only ones in line but uh…”

Your eyes trail over to the direction of the gesture. Your eyes widen. A…. Ferris wheel? A giant Ferris wheel was situated in front of you but something about it made you squint at it in confusion. 

The compartments were all pure black but that wasn't the thing that was bothering you. For some strange reason, none of the carts had any windows. There was no way of looking inside or outside of one of the carriages. Anyone in one of those would be hidden to the outside world.

A small bit of hope rises in your chest. It was weird that there wasn’t any way to enjoy the view the Ferris wheel would provide but you weren’t complaining. You had a chance. 

If none of the Spades spotted you by now, you might be able to get away without being behind bars. You can do this… This is Jevil’s final act, right? Survive this then you can strategize on how to clear your name. 

A cart was stopped at the bottom of the wheel, its doors open and revealing a pure void on the inside of its shell. Ominous in its purpose. 

You put your foot in front of the other starting to power walking over there. The jester holding your hand tightens his grip on yours. “OH?” Amusement drips from his speech. “IS MY WORLD EXCITED TO GET ON?” You shake your head from his flirting annoying words. 

Excited was not the right word… Desperate was more appropriate. Your ears listen in on any of the surrounding areas, trying to hear for the Spades. All of the noises blend together, making it difficult to tell any sound apart from another. 

You sigh, you don’t know if they aren’t there or if you just can’t hear them. This is it then, you go in and you pray they haven't seen you. That's the best plan you got. You step onto the metal platform, the sway of the machine underneath your feet. 

The inside of the passenger car was covered in blackness. The only color you could see was a line of white cushions on either side of it. 

“MY CAROUSEL IS SO MUCH FUNNER THAN THIS RIDE-” Jevil comments, letting go of your hand and springing himself up in the air. He lands perfectly on one of the white seats, patting the space next to him. “BWA HA HA!! MY WORLD, WORLD WOULD ENJOY THIS ONE THOUGH!”

You blink at his invention, opening your mouth. Your body nearly jumps where it stood as the sound of a spade summoning hits your inner ears. You leap over to the other side of the cart falling on the white cushions, sweat dripping down your forehead. 

They found you. It's game over! Any second now the opening of the ride would have thousands of spades flung inside of it and the spades would demand you to come out. 

“BWA HA HA!! WERE YOU COPYING MY JUMP, JUMP?” The jester interrupts, clearly not understanding any of your body language. You don’t respond, merely staring at the opening, waiting for the Spades to hit the back of the metal contraption. 

The door of the ride closes, causing everything to turn pure black. Confusion hits you. You… you know you heard that spade summoning sound… If they weren’t doing that to fling into here, then why did they summon it? 

You comb your fingers through your tired hair, thoughts, and ideas becoming pure jelly. Everything sucks.

The machine squeaks as it starts moving in its circular motion. You narrow your eyes. Was this all this ride was supposed to be? Just a dark Ferris wheel ride? 

It’s a bit weird. You would expect this kind of blackout thing more on the tunnel of love or something- You’re eyes widen an epiphany dawning on you. 

Isn’t the purpose of the blackout on the tunnel of love for- You nearly vomit into your own mouth just thinking of it. -creatures to K-I-S-S? Goosebumps travel all across your skin, just the thought made you want to give yourself over to the spades instead of letting that happen to you.

You swear if Jevil took you in here for a surprise kiss that when you get off of this ride that the spades will be taking you in for a true actual murder. 

Light suddenly shines into the carriage. You wince, your eyes not expecting everything to just light up like that. You blink over and over again, slowly open them back up. 

The spots where the windows would be on a normal Ferris Wheel were all lit up, showing off a much different outside than the one you were at just moments ago.

Lush green grass caressed the brown bark of the oak trees that sparingly sprouted across the landscape around you. A breeze made he leaves and grass, move and dance in the air. The glorious sun moved towards the horizon of the landscape. Orange and yellow paint strokes took up the bright blue sky above you. Sunset. 

You didn’t understand you looked around amazed with so many questions on your mind, why were you seeing this? How were you seeing this? What was happening? 

A part of you didn’t care about any of that. The colors blended together in a way that would make any artist cry. You wanted to soak in the sight that you haven't seen in such a long time, a light world sunset. 

“Beautiful…” Your hand grazes the surface where the image came in like it was trying to escape the compartment you were in to bathe in the world you see in the picture in front of you. 

A purple gloved hand covers yours. “NOT AS BEAUTIFUL AS YOU!” Love sprayed from his voice. Tender and meaning every syllable it said. Your face darkens, grimacing. Why did he have to remind you of what he felt for you?

Its like thousands of knives stabbing into your soul at once. You didn’t want it… Why can’t he just find someone else to care about?

You slowly pull your hand away from the surface, the fool’s own hand dripping off as you left. “Jevil… this is all fake right?” You ask, not even giving him the dignity of looking at him as you spoke. “ YEP, YEP!! YOU’RE LOOKING THROUGH SCREENS, SCREENS! ALL TECHNOLOGY AND MAGIC.” 

A slight sadness trickled down your soul. It was an illusion and nothing more. You sigh, you remember watching this phenomenon. Frisk sleeping on your lap as you watched the sunset with ▆▆▆▆▆. You watched it with amazement every time you saw it, but whenever you’d glance at ▆▆▆▆▆ they’d always have their attention towards you… Just like how you can feel the fool’s stare doing now… 

Why do they have to be so similar? 

“Ah… Well, Jevil-” You finally turn away from the artificial paradise, not surprised seeing him, sitting right beside you. “Was this really so special to force me to leave my spot?” You wouldn’t admit it to him but seeing the sunset like this again, even though it was an imitation was a breath of fresh air. 

It almost made you feel at peace. It probably would have if you weren’t incredibly aware of how much you were wanted in the eyes of the law. 

“HEE HEE- COME, COME ON! YOU LIKE, LIKE IT! I CAN SEE IT IN THOSE GORGEOUS EYES.” He teased back at you, smiling like the fool would never smile again after this. 

You cross your arms, looking away from him. “Fine… sure I like it-” You begrudgingly admit. “But…” You turn your head back to the jester, sinking your words in for the kill. “Jevil, I would have gone willingly… if you just told me what happened between you and the Golden Pain.” A small lie. If he told you what happened you probably would be talking about what Jevil did to the Spades. 

The jovial atmosphere the fool was building quieted to a halt. The clowns smile falls. A look of conflict tores through his face as his sharp teeth bite down on his bottom lip. 

His body turns away from yours, facing the screen on the other side. All in the cart goes deadly quiet, the only sound being the muffled cries of the darkners running around the carnival. 

You look towards the screen on your side, the sky had purple splattered inside as the sun’s body moved lower into the horizon. Strangely- you could see the moon traveling right along the horizon itself, the trajectory aiming right towards the setting sun. 

“Tell one piece, piece of the puzzle you seek…” Jevil’s words finally cut through the silence, quiet, losing any of the joy and carefreeness they had inside before. 

It was the voice he had when he was… angry… really angry but there was no anger in there to be found. Only seriousness. “-But my world, I get something in return. Something to make me revolve more than ever before-” 

Your toes curl as your head slowly turns from the fake window in front of you. “W-what? Jevil what are you asking for?” Falls out of your mouth. “Oh, Don’t you worry about that part-” The fool whispers out, his face gradually turning to look at yours. “I get what I want, want. You get what you want, want. Curtains closed.” 

Your mouth falls agape, not sure what to say in response to him. On one hand even thinking about saying yes to the question made you want to curl up in a ball and die but on the other hand…

This was guaranteed information, something you don't tend to get from the jester. That certainly doesn't outway how creepy your end of the deal was- “Jevil, I’m afraid I can’t-”

The fool jumps out of the seat. “IT’S FUNNY-” A smirk combs over the jesters face as a nostalgic, yearn hits his eyes. “MY ENTRANCE TO THE DARK WORLD WAS ONE LAIDED WITH SORROW.”

He points a hand up at the ceiling, confusion reigns on your features. Was Jevil… ignoring your denial of his deal or was he telling you something completely unrelated? What was he doing?

”MY LIGHTNER WAS LEFT UP THERE ALL ALONE BECAUSE I WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM WITH ME.” 

Blame oozed out of his tone. Hatred, self-hatred deep inside. He must beat himself up over that… Lord knows that you… beat yourself up over that as well, but that still tells you nothing on why he was starting to tell you all of this. He lowers his hand, pressing it against his cheek as he shakes his head solemnly back and forth. 

“ALL OF MY TRAINING WITH SEAM WAS IN VAIN! I COULDN’T DO EVERYTHING UNLIKE THE ME OF TODAY. I WOKE UP SCARED. DARK WORLD, SO STRANGE, STRANGE. WORST OF ALL ONE OF MY DEVILSKNIFE WAS… GONE. NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.” 

Dread bites down on your vocal cords. He also lost one of his weapons coming down here? Why didn’t he mention it earlier? You’re sure he would have been enthralled by having something similar happen to the both of you. 

He brings his face back to you, a smile molding his mouth. A soft bittersweet chuckle flies out of his mouth. “IT’S SO FUN, FUN FUNNY-” Every second brought more and more anxiety inside of you. You didn’t like this. You didn’t like any of this. 

Your eyes widen as the light in the cart changes, the red and oranges deepening with purple on the tips of the light. The moon was barely covering the sun. You take in a breath that you don’t dare release. You didn’t know where Jevil was going with this but every ounce of you screamed for it to stop. 

“BWA HA HA- THAT OLD CAT FOUND IT STICKING STRAIGHT UP FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE DARK FOUNTAIN! I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAPPENED TOO… I'VE HEARD OF OTHERS LOSING WEAPONS BUT NO ONE HAD IT THERE LIKE ME! “ 

He puts his hand on his chin again, staring into your eyes as a love-stricken sigh exits his mouth. Everything in your body freezes, caught in the beast's gaze. 

“AT LEAST- UNTIL THE GOLDEN PAIN TOLD ME ABOUT… YOU.” He gestures to you with an open palm. Your brain shuts down, any ability to make sense of his words ceases to function. 

“I-I…” The fool places a single finger against your mouth, shushing your speech. An almost sadistic pleasure fills his eyes. He knows the power he holds in his knowledge and he enjoyed every last ounce of it.

“SHE FOUND THAT SWORD OF YOURS IN THAT EXACT SAME POSITION...” The red lighting goes over his teeth, making it look like blood stained them. His smile rises impossibly wide, a maddening chuckle exiting it. Ecstasy enters his eyes as he leans into you, his face inches away from yours. 

“AROUND TWO MONTHS AGO.” The world around you drops into a dark crimson Everything froze in your body. You inhale a large gulp of air and send it shooting out of you as your body shakes. 

He knows… Oh god, he knows! No one… no one was supposed to know! You tried to keep everything about you hidden enough that the other darkners wouldn’t suspect a thing but- Jevil… Jevil ruined all of that.

The fool's smile extends well beyond what it should as fireworks explode in his eyes. “IT’S TRUE, TRUE!!! UEE HEE HEE!!! BWA HA HA!!! TRUE, TRUE!!” He screams out, excitement beyond your wildest dreams. He clenches his stomach bending over backward spitting out a laugh that crushed your soul more and more.

His laugh was that of a madman who finally discovered the formula for his mad experiment. A formula that was the darkest depths of your past.“YOU’RE BLANK FILE, LACK OF ANY RECORDS, YOU’RE DETERMINATION- HA HA HA!! I FINALLY GET IT!!”

You can’t even believe this. This is a nightmare, right? Just a big nightmare- everything! The date, you being a criminal, Jevil finding out about this. This can’t be real. It can’t- 

“THEY MISSED YOU DIDN’T THEY? YOU SLIPPED BETWEEN THE GRAND PREACHER’S PHALANGES!!”Gloved hands grab your shoulders pulling your body forward and having your eyes meet Jevil’s thin pinprick eyes. 

He wasn’t supposed to know. NO one was supposed to know- The grand preacher didn’t find you during the great purge, yes! But you wish he did! You wish that you were thrown down here with every single other darkner. Everything would be better. Frisk would still be alive...

Hell, countless others would be alive as well. It’s all your damn fault! You tried to save everyone down here, and now you have to walk amongst them knowing you failed every single one of them. If they found out- You don’t know what you would do. 

Your hands cover your face as you rapidly breathe in and out, You shake against the hands as you throw your face down to your lap, tears springing in your eyes. 

Was Jevil going to tell everyone? Was he going to let everyone know that you were a complete and utter mistake? That you cost everyone their freedom because… you weren’t strong enough to give them that freedom. 

A hand presses itself against your back, rubbing it in a circle. Your spine tenses up as your shoulders hit your cheeks. “MY POOR, POOR WORLD…” 

An apologetic tone greeted your ears like he was sorry for what torture he just put your mind through. “KEEP, KEEP THIS A SECRET BETWEEN YOU AND ME… NO ONE ELSE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO KNOW HOW TRULY SPECIAL MY WORLD IS!” 

Possessive poison dripped out of his foul mouth. No one else should know… and he wasn't going to let anyone else know. You whimper at his words, war breaking out inside of your head. He wasn't going to tell anyone but he still knew and there's no one worst that could know. 

He wouldn’t stop his thirst for knowledge after this- No, he would only want to know more, wouldn't he? He’s going to want you to give every grueling detail of your past. The killing, the bloodshed, Frisk, ▆▆▆▆▆, the L.O.V.E- Your breathing stops as your insides turn to pure ice. 

“J-jevil-” The words fight their way through your tight throat. “H-how much...? How much do you know?” 

You force your head to look up at him, small tears pricking in the corners of your eyes. The jester's eyes soften at you as his smile extends all across his face. His eyes shimmer and shine showing satisfaction that told you the answer to your question before he even spoke. 

“BWA HA HA! THAT JOURNAL OF YOURS MAKES SENSE, SENSE! I FINALLY UNDERSTAND, MY WORLD!!!” Blazing excitement shined in his golden eyes, madness pouring from every inch. Your face falls. A tear rolls down your cheek as reality separates around you. You stare down at your lap.

You don’t know what he's managed to glean from your journal. You did write rather abstractly so maybe, just maybe he had the wrong idea of what happened to you in the past- It's unlikely but it's the only hope you have left. 

“MORE IMPORTANTLY-” The jester's hands throw themselves on your shoulders, jerking your body over to face his own. Pink hearted eyes shine onto your face, only moments ago being that glimmering yellow you were used to seeing.

His head tilts as his mouth goes agape, searching every inch of your petrified face with a longing desire. “I WANT, WANT MY END OF THE BARGAIN…” A breath enters your mouth that refuses to leave. The area around you too darkens as the moon half eclipses the setting star. 

Wait… What? H-he counted that? “Y-you just started talking! I never agreed-” the words rush out of your mouth, desperately trying to get through to the brick wall that was Jevil. The jester lets go of your shoulders, an ear-splitting laugh coming from his throat. He shakes his head, almost pitying your train of thought. 

“I TOLD MY STORY AND THOSE WERE MY TERMS-” His head tilts up staring down at you with a devilish mischievous playing on his features. “YOU SHOULD HAVE STOPPED ME IF YOU DIDN’T WANT TO DO YOUR HALF OF THIS DEAL.” 

Your mouth drops as your eyes twirl around his face. Was he being serious? How were you supposed to know that he was for one, telling you anything about his encounter with the Golden Pain when he started off with him entering the dark world? For two, you never agreed to it so the deal didn’t actually happen! 

“Jevil, That's not how deals work-!” The red lighting around you grows dimmer as the sun barely peeks under the horizon. 

A hint of anger shines in his more amber eyes.“HA HA!!! YES, YES IT DOES!” Tension and annoyance served hot in his tone. It was like in between the words you could hear another message loud and clear ‘stop questioning it’. 

A chill rolls down your entire body. It was a reminder. A cruel reminder of the power the jester really had here. If he was wrong… what could you do about it? If you hurt him that just gives the spades more ammunition if they find you. 

Your throat closes around itself not letting anything else exit. One of Jevil’s hands runs through your hair, as the anger dissipates in his eyes. “HE HE… CHAOS, CHAOS.” Your hands bundle into unless fists as your eyes narrow at him. 

This bastard… everything he has ever done to you causes more heartache and pain. He just wants you to be an obedient little doll that will do everything he says and won’t fight back when he decides to get handsy.

You’re his whole world- but he wants to be the one to decide how the world should be run. 

A soft stressed chuckle comes from the jester as he closes his eyes, shaking his head back and forth.“NOW, NOW-” His eyes catapult open, bright pink shimmering in the fading light. His digits wrap themselves against your wrists, constricting them to the point your hands paled.

Your wrists slam into the metal shell behind you, causing a shriek of pain to fill the room. You could feel the bruise forming on your wrists already. Hot breath hits your lips as the fool inches his face closer and closer to yours. “YOU’RE MINE, MINE… NO ONE ELSES…” 

The moon was so close to conquering the sun in the night sky and nothing would stop it… No matter how the sun resisted. 

An explosion goes off in your mind, as horror attacks you. The thing Jevil wanted was a… Every muscle in your body burns. Tension was all throughout your body as adrenaline poured through your veins. 

Bile sits at the back of your throat as you desperately try to break out of the jester's grasp. Nothing on heaven or earth could make any of this okay. Tears prick up in your eyes, as the fool’s face descended, barring the deepest purple imaginable. “LEARN… TO LOVE ME TOO.” 

The moon engulfs the sun. Dim light spreads out across the cart. A tear streaks down your cheek. Warm hungry lips press themself against yours. The hands around your wrists shake lightly as a gasp comes from the fool. 

Kiss… He’s kissing you…

The jester closes his overwhelmed eyes, gently trying to press back against the tense brick you made your mouth. You cringe, closing your eyes. None of this is real- You can’t accept it. You can’t accept any of the sensations you can feel against your mouth. Tears fly down your face. 

You can’t feel it. You can’t taste the desire, you can’t taste the want in every second of his lip’s dance. You can’t taste the light taste of cotton candy. You can’t feel his body move as he presses his abdomen onto yours. You can’t feel the desperate purr coming from the jester as his lips dig into your closed steel mouth harder. You can’t…

H-He’s so inexperienced… Just like...

No. You can’t be reminded by that. You can’t suddenly taste the blood that never washed away. You can’t feel the grass underneath you as you tried to kiss them back as well as you could. No, no no no no no no no- The memory stains your soul with black ink that consumes your whole body. 

You can’t- 

You can’t- 

You can’t feel ▆▆▆▆▆’s lips again. 

This is hell. This is hell. This is hell. This is hell. This is hell. This is worse than hell. The frantic beats of the jester's soul hit your chest with a vile song. You could feel your mind shutting down. Feeling every part of you violated and touched with a burning hellfire in your skin… The world leaves your mind as a very last bit of determination you have fades away. 

Muffled sounds play in your ears as the machine jolts to a stop, swinging wildly back and forth. The ride… was it over? Your crying puffy eyes use the last bit of energy you had left to open up. Pure black covered the area around, all of the screens no longer playing their little videos. 

Hope hits your veins. You would have to get off of the ride soon correct? But... Something about how sudden and strange the stop was didn't rub the right way with you. This didn't seem like the end of the ride- Dread destroys the false hope that had builded itself inside of you. You think the machine might be stuck.

You're trapped. 

The sound of a summoning spade rings in your ears causing every bone in your body to shake. It was like someone above had heard your beggars gamble and decided to fulfill it. You didn’t know you’d actually be faced with this decision! Your entire body fights, jerking around in Jevil's grasp. 

A deep animalistic growl fills the carriage as your lips manage to slip away from his. You cough harshly, trying to get air into your lungs.

You smell the cotton candy flavor on your lips, a disgusting reminder of the jesters violating action. You can feel the vomit threatening to pour out of you, something- just anything to get rid of the taste. Anything to feel clean again.

A spade projectile shoots through the bottom of the cart, making your vision go fuzzy. Static kills any and all ability to hear. He’s here- It isn’t just a paranoid delusion. It's not just a dream. He’s here and you have no way of escape. 

The fool's digits dig into your wrists. You flinch from the sudden pain.“W-what?” You whimper, looking at him, wondering what you did to deserve his wrath. He’s already stolen a kiss from you- Wasn’t today enough for him already? 

“HE HE HE…” A demented soft chuckle comes from the fool, his anger mitigating as your sight is locked back on him. “MY WORLD, WORLD… “ Those damned horrendous hearts in his eyes grew two times fold since the last time you saw them. 

His tongue spins around his lips, savoring the taste. “AGAIN, AGAIN-” The fools forked tail flings itself around your abdomen, bring you closer to him. 

Your eyes widen with horror. Did he not even care about the magic that was just thrown at the carriage?

The pure desire in his eyes only showed his own fantasy’s playing inside of them. He wanted to kiss you over and over again- taste every little bit of the passion inside of you. Ragged breaths hit your lips with the best of the fool’s soul. He’s so fixated on you… Did he even notice the spade?

Disgust clogged up your pores. The fool’s facial expression was the look of nightmares as he tilted his head lowering his lips down to yours once again. You shut your eyes tight, waiting for the impact like a nuke being dropped on a city. 

A shudder races through your body as you feel his awaiting lips on top of your own once again. Sharp teeth lightly go across the bottom of your lips. The wet warm presence of the fool’s tongue dances along the tightness of your defense. Your teeth nearly shatter from how hard you were clenching them. 

A loud crackle destroys your eardrums forcing your eyes to squint open. A spade magic attack with a long whip-like tail had entered the cart, dragging your soul down to the pits of despair. It’s hopeless… You go limp in the fool’s arms, the last of your determination draining out of you. 

The magic’s tail stuck itself inside of the hole it entered from, flinging the door open. Behind the cold metal was just as you expected, a floating Ace of Spades with the Spade Rudinn from before clinging to the top of his head. 

The Rudinn is holding a microphone in his teeth and looking down at the world below in pure fear. The assault on your sore burning lips is finally lifted as the jester slowly turns to the commotion behind him. 

The Ace of Spade drops down to the metal with a cold hard clank. Ace moves his shoulder up, alerting the spade Rudinn and he yips, nearly dropping the sound-amplifying device before quickly bringing the megaphone to his face. 

“(Y/N) Y-you are hereby u-under arrest for the disappearance of the Queen of Diamonds!”


	19. The Power of a Name

No sound exits or enters the carriage. The words of the Rudinn dug deep into the world. Prison. You were going to prison… again. 

You remember that feeling. The metal digging into your wrist, the whispers as you were locked into a small pure white room. The fear that coursed through your veins as you waited…

Waited for the verdict that would decide your fate. Minutes blending into hours and hours into days. You didn’t know what they were going to do to you. What HE was going to do to you- 

Was he going to torture you…? Like ▆▆▆▆▆ said they would? You didn’t know. You didn’t know much of anything. You only had the lies that came out of that demon's mouth. That was what your first imprisonment was like for you. Solitary confinement, not seeing another creatures face for days on end. 

Was… Was the castle's prison going to be like that as well? Just the thought sent shivers down your shaking tear-stained body. You don’t think you could handle that- No you would break if you ever had to go through that hell again.

“U-uhhhh-” Trails out of the Spade Rudinn’s mouth, uncertainly plain inside of it. You could feel his eyes toss themselves between you and the fool.

For a brief moment, you find the strength to peek at the coward. The fear you expected from him was there but his eyes conveyed bewilderment of the highest degree. “P-please d-don't r-resist arrest-” 

The jester's arms remove themselves from around you and you nearly fell over onto the ground. Weak… You hadn’t realized how drained you were. You lean yourself backward quickly, using the metal as a crutch to keep yourself upright.

They may have seen you and Jevil K-k… Bile rises into your throat- You can’t even admit it without wanting to throw up. Your lips burned in agony.

The fool’s body lifted off the ground with a strangely cheery hum coming from his mouth. You grit your teeth, a thunderstrike of fear overtaking you. You didn’t like the way that sounded. You didn’t like it one little bit. 

Jevil’s tail swished back and forth as he moved over to the Ace of Spades.“HE HE HE- ACE, ACE, WHATEVER ARE YOU SPEAK, SPEAKING?” He sounded cheerful, playful as a jester was supposed to be but the animosity radiating out of it was brighter than the stars.

His tail extends out resting itself on the shoulder of the shorter spade, upping it around his neck. “DO YOU THINK, THINK THAT THIS-” His hand gestures over to you, the puffy red eyes and the tear-stained marks on your cheeks. You could almost see some sympathy in his eyes like he felt bad that he caused that to happen to you.

“-GUARD, GUARD WOULD BE CAPABLE OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT?” Your eyes somewhat narrow at him, far too tired to fully produce a glare. If only he knew- You were more than capable of killing.

The Ace’s head tilts towards the fool lingering on his face. The Spades gloves hand comes up, tossing the fool’s tail off of himself. Without any consideration the Ace moves his head away from the Fool, stepping towards you and causing the metal to bang with his footstep.

Your heart drums on with an unpredictable rhythm. Your head screams with adrenaline hitting your worn-out body. It's all too much... Everything in your life went to hell the second you got clean up duty that fateful night. You would have never imagined that you would have met someone that would change your entire life. No, not change- Ruin.

Three clubs are summoned right in front of the Ace, stopping him in his tracks. "HOW RUDE, RUDE OF YOU!!" Retorts the jester as he teleports right in front of you, blocking you from the Ace. A shriek of terror comes from underneath the Ace's clock. "I-I'm too young to die!!!" The Rudinn's arms clench around the Spades belly shaking and sweating.

"BWA HA HA!" You're eyes widen as a spade is quickly spawned behind him. "I DON'T LIKE BEING IGNORED-" The spade hits him sending him straight into the floor, banging against it headfirst. The clubs he summoned are released sent soaring right at the Ace.

The Ace quickly lifts his cloak and the magic moves straight into it. The attack didn't leave any damage though, it almost seems to be just absorbed into the cape.

You've never heard of such a thing as a magic absorbing item like that. The Ace lowers his cape, tilting his face down to the jester's body, lingering. "W-wait... is he?" The Rudinn started before the Ace placed a finger up at the Rudinns mouth, indicating for him to be silent. 

You look down at the fool. He wasn't moving at all... You don't think you've ever seen Jevil be this still before. Well, if he was dead he would be turning to dust so did he get knocked out from that attack? Huh… If that's the case then maybe you might have found a weakness. 

The Ace lifted his face away from the fool aiming his sights towards you. Your heart skips one of its rapid beats. A sigh rips out of your mouth. You don’t even know what prison is like down here. The Lightners you met seemed so much crueler than the darkeners down here. Maybe… Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as you thought? 

You weakly hold out your wrists. “I don’t want to fight you, Just take me away already…”The hoarse whisper that came from your throat surprised you. You sound so damaged… so broken. Which after what happened to you today. You were. 

The Rudinn peeks his head out of the front of the Ace’s coat, raising an eyebrow at your form. “Uhhh… Oh.” The Ace nodded his head, respecting your decision. The cart shakes as he slowly walks towards you. Your body cringes with every step he takes.

He pauses in front of the fallen jester, holding up his hands and having a blue pair of shackles appear in his grasp. He unclasps them and holds them up to your already extended wrist. You close your eyes. Here goes everything. The friends… The life you built yourself down here. All ripped away from you. 

"BWA HA HA!! TRICK, TRICK!" Your eyes rip open. Before you, the Jevil that you presumed unconscious threw his head up directly at the Ace’s stomach.

The spring inside of his head catapults his cranium forward, hitting the Ace sending him flying outside of the carriage. You’re jaw drops. You never thought that Jevil would be able to use his… terrifying anatomy to do that. The spring on Jevil's head extends back to himself and he grabs it forcing it back down into his neck. 

“Jevil…” Falls out of your mouth, annoyed and tired. “Please stop fighting him-” The fool quickly turns around grabbing your still outstretched wrists. You twitch from the pressure he put on your damaged aching wrists. A blaze burns in his eyes. The fires of determination and possession of the creature before him. 

“My world, world I will never stop.” The quietness of his voice sent a shiver down your spine. He sounds serious, far too serious. “I’m not letting him take you away from me.” The red drenching his eyes told you that what he was saying wasn't a mere statement. No, it was a promise. 

No breath dared to exit your throat. You couldn’t… 

That statement… 

That determination…

Those eyes…

Those were the words of one long gone that turned your life into a living hell. 

That was the determination that tried to spur you into abandoning your lightner. 

Those were the eyes that told you… I’ll kill for you.

That name… That name you dare not to say.

Dare not to even think...

“C-chara.”

Everything on the jester's face changes in an instant. His eyes turn back to gold in a fraction of a second, all of the determination melting away, His mouth goes agape, emotions flashing on his face faster than you could even register them. 

“H-HOW…” Confusion, desperation, wonder, fear… You don’t think you’ve ever heard a more mixed amount of emotions in anyone else before this point. 

His hands gently let go of your wrists, working there way over to your shoulders. He pulls your body closer searching your face for answers the fool desperately craved. “HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NAME, NAME?”

You can feel your nails dig into the palms of your hands. You betrayed yourself. How could you have said that name? That awful, horrible name? You promised yourself to never say it again, never even think it again. The worst part though… the worst part… Jevil… Jevil recognized the name.

Jevil knew them. 

W-was he…?

The sound of rapid spades summoning hits your ears as your meekly turn your head over. The entire cart was almost entirely full of the white magic attack. In the distance, an Ace floated outside of the metal trap, the Rudinn barely hanging on to the scuff of the Ace’s shoe. 

The Ace nods his head to the two of you as the barrage of attacks hit you. The world blurred as your skin ripped and tore underneath you. Blood poured out of your wounds. You collapse onto something soft and warm as everything faded to black. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow flung itself at the dead cold ground below. The trees whipped and tortured anything its branches could reach. Your arms hissed from the weight of Frisk, sleeping and cuddling into your shoulder, trying to find warmth in the winter landscape.

The harsh slashing breeze left a stinging pain on any part of your body it could get its hands on. The core of your soul shook. It didn’t shake because of the outer cold, no it had witnessed something that made the storm look like a sunny summer day…

You pause, eyes wide and searching the area around you. Wait… Wait this is- You remember you just fainted… Were you dreaming right now? But… But this wasn’t a normal dream. The snow, the ice-cold temperatures. Oh god… Were you reliving this memory?

“(Y/N)! What are you doing all the way out here?” Their voice was cheerful almost pegging down your actions as something silly like you were just playing a game. Every ounce of your body tenses up as you freeze completely. It felt so real… It didn't feel like you were recounting the events. It's like you're really experiencing this all over again. 

The same emotions you felt back then exploded in you. Shook, anger, confusion…. Fear. This was the first time you were scared of them… I-I…” You slowly turned your back towards them, staring at the frozen ground.

You couldn’t meet those eyes again. The fact that Chara wasn’t even phased by what horrible action they had committed... You should have just left. Could you leave right now? This was a dream right not just a memory so you might be able to change it right?

You take a deep breath before opening your mouth. You were planning something special to say. You planned to tell them- ‘I hope you’re burning in the darkest pits of hell. You ruined my life. I wish you never existed.’ But the words refused to exit your throat impeded by something that you didn’t understand. 

“T-they were only a child…You didn’t have to” Exits your mouth instead. The exact words you told them back when this event took place. 

Dread throws up inside of you. You didn’t have any control after all…Snow crunches underneath Chara’s foot as they took a step forward. “Ah… (Y/N)... (Y/N)...” A sly calmness appears in there voice. It was fake… all of the concern and niceness they showed you, it was all fake. But you believed in there falsehood for years. “What else could I have done?” 

All of your hairs raise on its end, you’re teeth grinding from just the statement. What else could they have done? They had a plethora of different options then the one they choose... But they couldn’t stop themselves from picking the worst one. 

Your head flings itself back at them, a small amount of defiance shining in your eyes.“You could have let her go.” Their blood-red eyes dilate as there smiling face falters slightly. It was slightly satisfying to see how they didn’t expect that from you. One of the only pleasant things you from this memory. 

The mask Chara wore came back up in less than a second afterward. A sigh flies out of there mouth as they shake their head back and forth. “(Y/N). ” There foot contacted the ground in front of them, getting closer to you and your lightner. Your soul skipped a beat as your knees buckled under your lightners and your combined weight. 

This terror… It tastes so bitter in your mouth. You were such a wuss. You took every emotion this bastard gave you- If you had the freedom to you wouldn’t be shrinking away from them. No, you would punch that son of a bitch until there lifeless body didn’t squirm anymore. 

You backpedaled away from Chara’s eyes focusing on the sharp metal that poked out of there pocket. That knife of theirs… It shimmered reflecting the snowflakes that passed by it. No mercy with that weapon… No mercy to anyone or anything. 

“Are you…?” Chara’s voice cut through the silence that had been stewing up between you two. A shred of guilt entered you… During the time that accusation made you feel like you were being ridiculous. You hate this. You hate the fact that you felt guilty for being afraid.

“I-I… I don’t know if I can…” Your grip on Frisk grew tighter as a worried mumble exits their mouth. 

Frisk… Your eyes turn towards the child cuddling into you. Their face was scrunched up, upset by what was happening. Frisk… You don’t know how to feel… This is a dream. Just like the last one you had. Where Frisk said they… forgave you. A small tear squeezes out of your eye, freezing on the cheek as it dripped down. You want that to be real… 

“Do you know what will happen if they find out that you’re in the light world?” Your attention grabbed by the slimy words of the mistake that spoke. Your teeth dive into your lip, leaving a small trail of blood trickling into your mouth as you turn to face the winter snow.

You knew this song and dance. The story they were heavily fond of throwing out and terrifying you with. The same one that made you so afraid of… prison. 

“T-they’ll…” Slides out from you as your throat closes shut, unwilling to recall the rest of the story out loud. The crunching snow behind you was timed like a metronome, unearthly.

“-Strap you down and grab a pair of pliers removing your teeth one by one…” Chara’s speech was deeper and the threat that held inside made adrenaline flow through your veins. Every vocalization out of the lightners tongue was venom. You shouldn't have to hear this again- Haven't you suffered enough?

“Then they’ll yell at you to tell the names of everyone else you know as they pour boiling hot water over your face-” Frisk’s face buries itself deeper into your shoulder, whimpering as you feel tear droplets through your clothing. You could feel the panic hit inside of you. Chara made Frisk cry…

You want to be angry- You want to be able to feel the visceral hatred that this bastard deserved. They made Frisk sacred and cry into your shoulder. And you did nothing to stop him.

You should have ripped off that bastards head the second they upset your lightner. How dare they even walk the same earth with some as kind and gentle as Frisk? How dare any of those horrible lightners exist? “Just stop!” You screamed out, holding your lightner in a tight protective grip. 

A cold-hearted chuckle was all that greeted your concerns. They didn’t care about your protests or your begging pleads. No, they probably took that as a sign of there manipulation working on you. “(Y/N), they won’t stop when they have you in their clutches… But you won’t have to worry about that-” 

The arms of the mad lightner wrapped themselves around you and your lightner from behind putting the two of you into an embrace. Your hands shook- Trying their damnedest to fight against the barrier preventing you from messing with the memory.

Thousands of tiny blades were carving against your skin at every point of contact they made with you. You felt like you had just rolled around in manure from how disgusting your skin and body felt with Chara’s embrace. 

Nothing… Nothing Jevil could ever pull on you. Not even that… Kiss. Could compare to the feeling of a demon's touch. 

“I’m here.” They whispered right into your ear. Every ounce of your frame was frozen stiff. The warmth that was forced into you by the memory made you want to blow chunks. How could you have ever felt safe around this manic? How could you ever have cared for them?

“You are a great partner. I won’t let them take you away from me…” Partner… God… you were that weren't you? You both worked together. Survived together. Killed together. Why did it have to be accurate? Why the hell did your mind have to remind you of this so vividly? Why does it have to feel like this human is still alive? 

You just couldn’t get over how realistic it all felt. 

“Although…” The constricting force around you leaves making your mouth go agape. Wait… You remember them hugging you for… quite a while longer than that. Your head quickly turns behind you. Only the desolate white landscape greeted your eyes. “You have a new partner… don’t you?”

Every muscle in your body flexed and froze. No… No no no… It.. It couldn't be- The snowflakes held their place in the air, time no longer affecting them. “(Y/N)~” Singing playful chords assault your mind. They… T-they never did anything like this in your memory.

“N-no… No…This- Y-you can’t be-” The skin of the murderer's palms rests itself against your cheeks jerking your head over. Red large dilated eyes stared back at you with manic delirium consuming the insides. “I’m the demon that comes when you call my name…” 

Every memory came flooding back into you. The manipulation, the bloodshed, the lies… all of your pain created by this being and they were standing here in front of you. There was nothing good for you to miss. 

“G-get out! Get out of my head!” You scream as you throw your fist in the middle of there face. The overwhelming smile on the face of the disaster widens as they lean back dodging the attack easily. 

“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” Without even thinking you throw your leg right at their side. With ease, the lightner grabs your ankle before you hit. You wince as they tighten their grip around your leg. 

“Ah- are you still upset?” You glare at them and grit your teeth as you try using your one usable arm to pull your leg back to yourself. 

Amusement hit Chara, as their sight trailed down to the child in your arms. “It would be much simpler to do that if you just let that waste of space go.” The animosity in there words made you sick to your stomach. Your grip on the child tightens as you held them closer. “Frisk was an angel-”

Chara’s pupils shrink as a chuckle comes out of there mouth. A chuckle that shook the trees, causing the snow on their branches to hit the ground. “In that case, how about I help bring them back to heaven again?”

A whimper exits out of your lightners mouth. You look down at the child in your arms only to see there being fade into dust. The gray particles slowly fall to the ground beneath you turning the pure white snow into a hellish red. You fall down to your knees extending your hand to the dust that was once your lightner only for it to disappear completely. 

Gone… You didn’t even get to say goodbye.

Tears spring up in your eyes as a pressure places itself on your head wrapping its arms around your shoulder blades. “You are wracked with a perverted sentimentality.” Lava was touching your skin and leaving third-degree burns. 

It hurts… 

It hurts…

It all hurts so damn much…

Your shaking hand rises up, flinging itself at your face. “Wake up…” Your other hand smackes the side of your head. “J-just wake up dammit!” You ready your hand about to hit yourself again. You move it forward inches away from hitting your cheek as Chara grabs your wrist stopping your action in its tracks. “Interesting…” They press their thumb into the middle of your wrist sending a shockwave of pain down your arm. “You want to go back…” 

You grit your teeth as your hands tighten into fists. “Of course I do! I-” They remove their hands from your wrists placing it on your chin, jerking your face up and forcing your vision to be corrupted with their disgusting red gaze. 

“Do you?” A sinister smiling face doubted with a small chuckle trailing out of there mouth. “This world framed you for a crime you didn’t commit, although-” They lower their head closer to yours, excitement jumping out of there eyes. “-you would have slaughtered her sooner or later.” 

They graze their thumb against your cheek. Every muscle in your body tries to recoil from the action but your body was frozen. You couldn’t move at all…

A pitiful weak whimper can't help but fall out of your mouth. Hot tears form up in your eyes. “You’ve already taken everything from me! W-what do you want?!” 

“Hmmm?” The maniac tilts its head, playfully treating this all as the game you knew that they would. The human drops its hand from your chin and control returns back to your body.

Your hand hits the ground as you try to stand up but every atom of your being freezes again. “C-come on!” You scream out as you try to move as hard as you possibly could. 

“Oh, I want nothing much…” They move around you slowly, eyeing you up and down as they wet their lips. They squat right in front of you there eternal smile widening as they gaze at your panicking features. Both of their hands reach out and cup your cheeks as a satisfied look fills their soul-piercing eyes. “I just want one thing, partner.” 

They lean in and you can feel your body fading. Everything slowly blurs in your eyes as white paints over all of your surroundings. 

“I want you to finish what we started.”


	20. Puppet on a String

Your eyes rip themselves open. Your mouth heaves in air as your heart pumps like a jackhammer. That dream… No, that nightmare- You could barely stop a tear from escaping your eyes. God, you could remember every single part of it. Chara… T-that… that was so realistic. 

But it wasn’t reality. Your reality was cold… Cuffs dug into your wrists as the cold from the metal chair beneath you made you shiver. The dark navy blue walls around you judged your predicament. They knew that you were a criminal and they were here to separate you from the citizens outside its walls. 

Only a single candle was spared for you. A candle that rested on the wall nearby. This is reality. A terrifying dimly lit room that held no warmth for you, only callous. Depressing isn’t it? The metal door that stared back at you from the wall was the only indication of possible escape from this place. Even without the door, it would have been much more friendly than that dream. 

Somewhere deep inside of your mind questioned if it was more than just a dream. It felt like the dream you had with your lightner Frisk. What if they were talking to you from the afterlife? Your body shivers from the idea of Chara being able to torment you even through death. 

No, it has to be just a dream. Both of them have to be… Just really vivid ones. They have to be right? No matter how much you wanted this to be the case a small part of yourself knew that you were just saying that to keep the small amount of sanity you have left. You just have to think of something else! Anything else- You couldn’t let yourself be consumed by it. 

As if some messed up trickster heard your plight, the ground underneath you shook. Your eyes widen, before being subjected to another quake. The world was trembling over and over again, getting stronger and stronger as time ticked on by. 

The sensation… felt almost a bit familiar somehow. A drop of sweat moves down your cheek. Paranoia rises in your chest. Somethings coming… And whatever it is it is powerful. 

The doorknob jiggled, making your heart leap in your chest. Every part of your instincts yells at you to get away but the cuffs digging into your wrists refuse to let you escape. The door flies open, slamming against the cold walls of the room. Your eyes widen as your breath gets stuck inside of your throat. 

Th-the… King of Spades? 

Looming over you was the King himself. His wicked smile made you lose the last bit of color your skin had. He looked triumphant… So proud that he had you captured and stuck in this room. The spade-shaped shadow dripping over the king’s eyes almost seems to move, as if the behemoth of a man was checking to make sure that you were finely secure.

“Hahaha… Ah yes, (Y/N)...” The King of Spades announces, shattering the silence of your chamber. His terrifying stare on you made your knees quake in your seat. W-why...? Why was the King of Spades here? The King could have sent anyone down here to interrogate you but choose to grace you with his royal presence. You can’t think of a single reason that he would be down here!

The King stepped into the room and he grabs the door behind him. He moves it back into its doorway and it locks itself in with a click. A bead of sweat goes down your forehead. You’re locked in a room with a powerful darkner that has every reason to assume that you are a cold-blooded murderer. May the Angel have mercy on your soul. 

“Throughout the years I’ve reigned down here…” The King of Spades turns from the steel door, back to you, making your heart skip a beat. “This room has laid dormant, never used…” The King grabs the top of the chair on his side, the chair scratches against the floor erupting in an ear-piercing screech. The King of Spades sits himself down on the chair. “That is until you.” 

You blink at the powerful darkner, not believing what your sight was telling you. The king… came down here to deal with you. You still couldn't believe that he would spend his time down here dealing with you. You gulp turning your eyes away from the ruler of the land. 

“Ah, you do not wish to meet my eyes… Hehehe, that makes me recall the false bravery you wore when we first met.” You remember having to watch that show Jevil acted in while petrified of the King sitting right across from you… God that was only like… two or three days ago… You didn’t know what day it was, to be frank.

But he knew that you were pretending that whole time? God, that would have saved you some valuable sanity if you knew that sooner. “Tell me, guard, how does one with the spirit of cowardice get the reputation of a maniac?” 

A lump forms in your throat as your face grimaces. Reputation… Well, it would be easy for that damn Jigsawry to tell everyone what happened when you hurt it–but did the crime that you’re being framed for reach their ears as well? “D-depends…. How did they reach that conclusion?” You cringe at the stutter in your voice.

A light chuckle comes from the King as the chair beneath him squeaks pitifully under his weight. “It was quite a sight to see a Jigsawry running into the throne room with a blackened and bruised arm. I believed at first glance that the dimwit must have harmed itself through its puzzle-making craft but… to my surprise, it told me that YOU were the one that left that mark.” 

Your teeth grind themselves together. Of course, the King of Spades would be on duty when the Jigsawry told on you- You couldn’t have gotten one of the other Kings… No, you had to get the most ruthless one out of them all. “I-I…” you stutter, throwing your sight back to the King, not at all sure how to defend yourself. 

The King’s hand cupped his chin as he looked down at the table. “You were ruthless… Brutal... The way they described it–” His head tilts upwards, his features in full view of yours. A sparkle was held in his eyes, intrigued. “–It made me realize that I underestimated you.”

Before you could ponder what the King meant by that, a familiar cloaked figure fades into existence right at the side of the table. The dark blue cape flowing behind him and the spade took up his facial features left a sour taste on your tongue. 

Why did the one that sent you here have to taunt you with his presence? But… taking a closer look, the spade on his face was contorted and he had his cloak tightly wrapped around himself as he gently played with the fabric. Was he… nervous?

The amused smile of the King’s face fades with the Ace’s arrival. The King leans forward, gently tapping the table with one of his fingers. “You are late, Ace. You do remember that you were tasked with being here before me, correct?” The Ace’s entire body freezes as his features hit the floor.

“Do you believe that you can keep me waiting..?” The King’s gaze moves to the Ace and the spade shakes underneath his wrathful eyes. “If you DARE insult me again then it's high time for your position to be filled by someone competent!” The spade nods his head quickly at his King, and you swear as his face lifts, you can see… small tears prick up in his features?

You looked at the Ace surprised. From your experience with him, he seemed rather emotionless and in control, but… You suppose that the King is frightening enough to break the most resilient of souls. “If you wish to stop wasting my precious time, then by all means-” The King leans back in his chair, entangling his fingers around one another. “-do it.” 

The Ace flinches from the King's harsh words, and he fishes around his cloak. He finally stops and he pulls out a green and blue checkerboard. You blink at the reveal, confusion grasping at your soul. Small figurines dot each side of the board… This had to be chess then. The Ace places the board quickly onto the table and you can make out more details from the chess pieces.

On your side of the board, right where the King would rest stood a replica of the King of Spades, wielding his legendary chain weapon from his stomach and right next to him was a slightly taller intimidating woman… Someone that you remember reading about in that history book before Jevil got his evil jester hands all over it. 

She’s the late Queen of Spades. She shared the same crown and color as the King, wielding her own chain from the mouth on her stomach. It's a shame that she died… 

“At least you managed to get the board here without losing any of my precious pieces.” The King’s voice makes your face lift up from the board, seeing his still-angry scowl. “Your punishment will be decided later. For now, my mind will be spent on more important issues then a cockroach such as yourself. ” 

The Ace winces from the word punishment the spade of his face wobbling slightly. The King’s eyes narrow further at the frightened spade. “Dismissed.” 

The Ace jumps slightly quickly bowing to his King. The space that filled the Ace turns to air. You stare at the spot the Ace once stood, not quite grasping what just happened. Why… What… Why did the King want this game of chess here? You’re being interrogated right?

“Now that that disappointment is no longer here to interrupt us…” The King rises from his chair, looming over you with his tall stature. Your body instinctively shrinks back, a spike of fear stabbing through your soul. Gosh, you didn’t like how tall he was...

The King's mouth changes to a foul grin as his body leans over the table, his large gut being jabbed by the structure. Your legs stiffen as you can feel your soul starting to beat faster. He's too close- Way too close to you! You bite down on your lip, you hope that he wasn’t planning on squishing your head like a watermelon. 

The King leans in even closer and you can feel your blood run cold. A light chuckle comes from the King “A healthy dose of fear for your king...” The large character reaches down to his side, pulling out a key. 

“Hold onto that feeling, it will save you from being like him.” With a click, the darkner puts the key inside the keyhole next to your cuff, releasing your hand from the chair’s cold grasp. Your jaw goes agape as you bring your wrist close to yourself, examining it. It was lightly bruised from the cuffs but it was nothing to be worried about. 

Another click dances in the air, as your second wrist is freed from their prison. You don’t understand… With your hands free you don’t have anything else keeping you trapped here. 

You’re a criminal! Why would the King let you be free when you had nothing holding you back from hurting him? Your gaze bores into the King, confusion obvious on your features. 

The Spade sits back down casually leaning into his chair. “That look on your face… Ah, yes. The question on your mind is easy to tell.” He grabs a chess piece off of the board, a pawn from his side of the field.

It looked like a standard Rudinn. “Even if you were to attack me, or attempt to flee…” He placed the piece back down, forward one space. “I have many guards ready to strike right outside of this chamber.” 

You let out a long-awaited sigh. That explanation made enough sense for you to not question it… Even if it seemed incredibly dangerous for the King to do. “I… Okay.” You answered bringing your eyes back to the board. 

You didn’t get time to look at all of the figurines before… On the King of Spades’ side, he had a diffrent king–the King of Diamonds–standing right next to his… first queen. 

She was a longer snake then the King and she held only one staff in her four hands. You remember reading about her and how she was one of the Queens who died in the great purge. 

“I see you are admiring my chess set...” The King interrupts, taking you out of your train of thought. “I had these carved during the olden days… Before the lightners stabbed us in the back.” You hesitantly looked back up at the massive spade. 

His face was contorted in deep thought as the smile he had on had faded. Your eyes shoot back to the board, not wanting him to catch you sneaking a look at him. “The craftsmanship of these pieces are amazing,” you mumble back to him. 

“Yes, it’s grand… Now how about you take your turn?” Your eyes widen as you slowly peek back up to him. “W-what?” The befuddlement was easy to register in your tone. Yeah, the King brought this chess set here and all but… It hadn’t registered that he might want to play chess with you.

“Go on already- I would rather not consider you as inept as my Ace.” If the Angel himself came down to you and told you that your interrogation would involve the King showing up and forcing you to play chess, you would think that the universe has lost its marbles! 

It’s okay though… No matter how insane and weird this was, it was better than torture. You stare down at the pieces, trying to consider a possible first move. You were lucky that you’ve played chess with Frisk before because otherwise, it would be a nightmare to have the King as your first opponent. 

You pick up one of the pawns, a small spade unit with the mouth on its stomachs tongue hanging out while missing any sort of mouth for its face. You place down the unit closer to the King’s side. 

The King grins slightly at the movement on the board, grabbing a rook–a Rudinn Ranger–from his side. “(Y/N), that report that Jigsawary made was not the-” He places it back down close to the pawn chess piece that you moved last turn, “-Only thing I was informed of that day.” 

A wave of silence splashes over you as you gulp down the air in your dry mouth. Finally… he was going to talk about your charges right? Maybe he decided to play chess with you so you would loosen up and tell him the info about the case that you just don’t know. “Oh…?” Falls out of your mouth as you pick up another pawn and move him down the board. 

The King lets out a small cough, as he grabs his rook. “Yes… One of the King of Diamond’s Rudinn’s entered my throne room. I believe that you know of this character?” He places down the rook right over one of your pawns, capturing it. He grabs the small spade and tosses it off the board. “According to him… He was your partner.” 

Your head jerks up to meet his mug, your eyebrows raised high on your face. “Rudinn?” You’re chill, friendly partner that you would take a bullet for? What was he doing there? The King lets out a snicker at the shock on your face. “So you do know of this snake then? Ah…” He taps his finger against the table as his head tilts slightly. “The tale of the annoying joker harassing you must be true.” 

Rudinn… he reported what he saw to the kings…

Something warm rises in your heart as a soft smile forms on your lips. The little dude tried to help you… God, you hope you can see him again- To thank him for that and just… everything he’s done. “Yes…that is… Painfully true.” You grab one of your pawns moving it forward on the board. 

“His story lined up with the report for my Ace. He witnessed Jevil pinning you to the wall of the Ferris Wheel…” Bile explodes into your throat as the memory chars the insides of your brain. You felt sick to your stomach as the event replayed in your mind. 

“...kissing you while you were… weeping.” Feeling his hands dig into your wrists as his… lips invaded yours- It sounded like a nightmare but your real-life had become a far greater nightmare than you could ever imagine. 

The King grabs his queen moving it further on the board and captures one of your pawns, contemplation going through his brain. “The revulsion on your face is enough to know that my Ace spoke the truth.” 

Your head subconsciously nods at the King, forcing yourself to focus on the game in front of you. You couldn’t just sit here and think about that… Awful moment. You have to keep your mind here if anything else so that you don’t irritate the King by spacing out.

You look down at the board trying to figure out the next move you should make. You grab the bishop from your side… Wait this isn’t the right bishop… Why is the bishop a Rudinn? You never looked too closely at this piece but now that it was front and center in your vision… Your eyes widen realizing that you’ve seen this exact face before. 

“T-the… Golden Pain?” The small figure had the same face as the armor-wearing Rudinn, although she was wearing a more priest-like outfit, with a nice scarf flowing over both of her shoulders. 

The King’s smile drips off of his face forming an annoyed frown, staring at the figure with tense anger. “It seems that… She went with that title for her alter-ego. How PATHETIC…” He whispers out, the malice spitting out of his speech. Your body flinches from the pure hatred in his tone… You bite your lip, what could the Golden Pain have done to make the King react like that? You slowly put the piece back on the board. 

You pause, Jevil did draw that crown and diamond out in the dirt to taunt her. She… She had to be the queen that went missing right? Or more accurately… the queen that was murdered by Jevil’s juggling hands. 

“Uhhh... “ You start gently licking your lips to make the words come out easier. “You aren’t a big fan of her are you?” The King’s scowl deepens as he reaches across the table and grabs the second bishop you had on the board. He presses two fingers against either side of it, looking down on it with contempt. “...I’m glad she perished without my involvement.” 

You blink at the King placing your hand down on the table. “W-what..?” Your puzzled mind tosses out of your mouth. Without his involvement…? Wait, How did he know that she was dead…? Weren’t you just being charged for her disappearance? 

A bitter-tasting laugh forces itself out of the king’s jaws, as his fingers slowly squeeze the piece. A loud bang sound screeches through the room as wood chunks explode out from the figurine. You quickly duck underneath the desk, dodging the sharp pieces of wood that scattered throughout the room. 

“It matters not!” You hesitantly lift your head up, only to see his hand cradling the shattered remains of the once, delicately crafted chess piece. “She's gone now… and all that remains is the perpetrator of the crime.” 

The King's focus shifts to you and your blood turned into pure ice. He didn’t look… angry anymore much to your delight but he did seem like he was waiting… waiting for you to do something. 

Your throat turned to harsh rough sandpaper as a small drop of sweat streaks down your forehead. You slowly lift yourself out of the chair, pondering what you should say back to the darkner. “Y-you see…” You mumble, having no real destination for the sentence you were forcing out. 

The King lifts up his hand and holds out his pointer finger, signaling for you to stop talking. “Knowledge about your side of the story is not needed…” He gently grabs his queen, easily capturing your second bishop. “I know you are innocent.” 

The world stops turning as reality spins itself into a blur. 

He… He knows?!

You slam your hands down on the table and raise yourself out of your chair. “What?!” Escapes out of your mouth at full velocity. You spent so much time at the carnival being paranoid about being arrested, thinking that you would be imprisoned forever… And he knows you were innocent?!

You stare at the King with unbelieving eyes with your jaw wide open. This makes no sense- Wouldn’t the Ace of Spades tell him that you caused her disappearance? How would he know that you didn’t do it?!

A wily smile is all that greeted the supreme bafflement coursing through every cell of your body. A soft chuckle exits the Kings lower mouth, seemingly enjoying the situation wholeheartedly. “Hahahaha- Don’t believe that I am a fool!” 

He yells out, taking you aback with how much louder the King was being. “That ANNOYING jester has had a vengeful grievance against her ever since they first met! I am stunned he didn’t shed her blood sooner!” 

Your soul leaps with joy that you haven't experienced in years. They already knew that Jevil was the culprit! A relieved sigh exits as you fight the temptation to rise the corners of your lips. This is the best this situation could have gone for you! “Oh thank God!” You enthusiastically join the King's raised voice. 

“That means that Jevil is going to get imprisoned in my place right?” You were going to be free! Truly free- You’d get to see Rudinn and Seam again and you would get your life back. Jevil wouldn’t be there to ruin it! 

You look at the King with hopeful, happy eyes…. And the King smirked at your reaction before bursting out into laughter. Your gaze turns sour as a deep sense of dread spins in your stomach. Oh no… You didn’t like how… evilly the King was laughing at that. 

“Hahahahahah! You REALLY think we didn’t charge you with the crime for a reason?!” His tone was mocking and cynical. “How PRECIOUS…” Your cheeks lit up in embarrassment, as all of the hope you had shriveled up and died. "This opportunity… is once within a lifetime- quite perfect for what I have in store for you!"

You can smell the maximum-security prison cell from a mile away. That's what he's planning on right? Framing you so you get put away for the rest of your miserable life. He… He couldn’t have anything worse in mind, right? “O-oh God…” 

The King shakes his head, as his uproarious laughter died down. He gently rubs the side of his shaded spade with his hand as he stood up from the chair. “Now now- You’re fate is not as grim as you believe.” He walks around the chair, pushing it slowly into the table. The screech from it tears into the room. “My proposition is far more… beneficial for you and your situation.” 

You wouldn’t let his words tempt you. You know the King's reputation- He wouldn’t have anything happy ready for you. Now knowing that he had something in store for you made your stomach tie itself into a pretzel. You throw your eyes back down to the board, gently grasping one of your pawns and moving it further on the board. It was a hopeless situation…

You blinked down at the board only to witness the King's fist slamming into the metal right next to it. The small figure pieces flew everywhere, scattered around the room. The board skidded against the metal table, stopping right before it would meet its end to the floor below. The precarious checkerboard waited as a small amount of pieces landed right back on top of it. 

Your body jumped backward from the sudden impact of the Spades fist. The back of your head screamed as it collided with the back of the hard metal chair. You wince, ripping your head away from the seat and you rubbed the spot with your hand, praying that its throbbing beats would end. 

“First lesson…” The King jerks his fist off of the table, leaving a perfect mold of his anger behind. “DON’T IGNORE ME!” The beating of your traumatized noggin grew even louder as your body completely freezes at the King's anger.

His face turned into one of commanding outrage. Your life flashed before your eyes. The gruff rage in his voice nearly made you cried out in fear. You force your body to stand up straight in your chair as your eyes didn’t dare to even blink for a second while watching the wrathful darkner. “Y-yes my King-!” 

The glare on his face slowly faded as he rips the chair out from under the piece of furniture. He sits down inside of it grabbing the board and moving it back to the middle of the table. “That is an improvement. Now-” 

He reached down to the board picking up one of his pawns that were still on top of it. He easily moved it forward and captured a randomly placed rook from your side. You would think that he would just set up another game considering all of the casualties that his wrath caused but… he seems to be unphased from it. 

It was obvious however that his anger caused his side of the board to lose minimal pieces. Your side, however, you had only 4 pieces left. Your King, a single pawn and two knights. 

“My proposal is rather simple.” The King leans back in his chair, a small devious grin taking up space on his features. “After hearing the insane ramblings of that Jigsawry, there was nothing I wanted more than to hire you for a higher position in the castle.” Your breath catches inside of your mouth. 

“What..?” W-was he saying… That he was going to make you more than just a junior guard? Were you going to be up there with the Rudinn Rangers and the Head Hathys? You would be making double the pay you do now which is a big improvement. You gently grab your last pawn moving it two spaces forward.

“You see, my son… Lancer-” The King scraps his finger against the table as he grabs his rook capturing your last pawn. “-He's a troublesome pest. Far too kind and caring for someone next in line for my throne. I place the blame for this squarely on that-” He digs his fingers into the metal causing it to raise around his digits, “Rouxls Kaard.” 

Rouxls Kaard… That young devilishly handsome, darker that teleported in with a beam of light so bright you swear your vision will eventually worsen because of it. The darkner that looked like a preteens prince charming that hosted a pre-show that just had him loving all of the attention his looks got him. The Kings talking about that Rouxls Kaard...? “My King… What did… he do?” 

The Spade folds his arms tilting his chin up and looking at the ceiling. “Nothing that spineless cretin has done. It's the soul behind him! That mistake of a man is a weakling- Never teaching my own flesh and blood the needed ferocity and might that's needed to run a kingdom!” He leans his body back over the table his hands moving down and placing themselves on its surface as his eyes focus on you. 

“I can sense your soul beating rapidly… Afraid of me as it should, however…” The King's body stands up from his chair, his stature like a giant compared to yours. His massive body leans over the table, using his hands as support. 

Your body trembles as the plotting grin on his face only seemed to get larger from your reaction.“I sense a determination in you that never peaked my intrigue before- you have power. Your gaze is locked with his, unable to break the sadist ruler's line of sight as his hand slowly moves itself over to you.

“Potential to be…”Your pupils shrink as you are powerless to stop whatever the King was planning on doing. You let out a whimper as the King grabbed your chin, forcing your face to turn to each side as he looked at both of them. He tugs your face back to look at his, the sharp teeth from his smile shining menacingly at you. 

“That coward replacement.” 

Your chin burned from the contact with the King as your throat refused to allow any sort of noise to exit you. Please… Oh god just let go. You can’t even comprehend what the terrifying darkner just said. You can only focus on the fact that he's touching you.

The King seems to notice your discomfort with the action. You swear if you could see his eyes that he would be rolling them. He removes his hand from your chin and you instantly replace his hand with yours. You caress the stop that his fingers touched you, trying to make the stinging pain go away. 

“Your partner Rudinn spoke your distaste for contact…” He sits back down in his chair, gazing at you apathetic to your reaction. “How peculiar…” You force your eyes to meet the King’s face again, finally able to think about what he just said to you. He… He offered for you to take over Rouxls Kaard’s job… but- what even was his job? “I-I… What does the job entail…?” 

The King’s smirk grows from your questioning, making the pit in your stomach dig six inches deeper. “You will be granted the privilege of being my son's primary caretaker. You will have to feed, and clothe him and most importantly put him to sleep every day for the foreseeable future.” 

You blink at him, stunned at his answer. He wants you to pass down some angry and vengeful traits to his son right? So why would he make you the primary caretaker? You could just show up and be a teacher for the boy instead. He's putting you in charge of his son but he doesn't even know if you know how to take care of a child! “B-but my King-” 

The spade holds out his hand, signaling you to stop speaking. “As much as my blood is sickened at the idea of having Rouxls Kaard anywhere near my son- He will prove useful. He shall work underneath you doing whatever you require to be done.” 

The King places his hands on the table, entangling his digits from either hand. “As long as your influence on the Prince of Spades is grander than I shall allow it… Your job will be relatively simple.” 

The King gently grabs one of the scattered pieces from the table, the Queen of Spades, and he holds it up to his face. “A room has already been designated for you and your possessions have been stored inside of it.” His features softened, almost feeling melancholy as they looked at the former queen. A soft sigh falls out of his mouth. “You’ll live a new life… No one will know that you’ve changed professions.” 

The hamster inside of the wheel of your mind started sprinting as the despair crept inside of you at that statement. “B-but…” You start, the images of Seam and Rudinn seared into your head. “I...I have friends.” Air comes out of the large darkners nose as a silent laugh comes out of him. 

“That's a tragedy-” He moves his hand down into his large open lower mouth grabbing a small card that was tucked in between his teeth. Your eyes widen, that's disgusting! He tosses it onto the furniture, and it comes to a stop right at your side, across from the checkerboard. A single name was written on it. Vessel. 

“Why are you showing me this…?” You eyed the paper with your nose wrinkling. You did not want to touch that considering where its been. “Your old name has to be burned to the ground…” The King whispers, rather uncanny considering how booming and commanding his vocals are. Your figure freezes as you stare at the King, confusion in horror mixing in equal parts on your features. 

“If… the King of Diamonds learned that Jevil was the perpetrator for this calamity…” The King’s finger taps on the table, his face contorting into one that's considering his words carefully. 

“Things would come to the light that shouldn’t dwell inside of it. As my solution-” His lower mouth opens and you can see a giant folder sticking in between its teeth. You blink at the sight knowing that folder wasn’t there last time you looked into his maw. 

He grabs the folder pulling it out of his mouth, he moves the game of chess to the side as he plops the file down and he opens it. Your fingers curl up when you see the insides, it was similar to the file that the Ace of Spades had on you… it had the same picture and everything but the title for the paper was “Log of Unforeseen Dusting”

The beating of your soul drums in your ears. “L-log of Unforeseen Dusting” Slides out of you not believing what your eyes were seeing. This… this is talking about you being dusted! The King of Spades grabs the paper flipping it to the final page of the report. 

He places his finger underneath the first word of the final page “...While the Ace of Spades was attempting to apprehend, (Y/N) the Ace threw multiple spades at them, attempting to hit there clothing and pin them down to the Ferris Wheel.” 

His finger trails underneath the words as he says them. “Unfortunately, (Y/N) managed to move at the last possible second causing multiple spades to collide with there flesh. The Ace teleported (Y/N) to one of our healers but by the time they reached one (Y/N) was already dust.” 

He moves his finger away from the page and he places his elbows on the table. He claps his hands together. “-Like that the life that once was (Y/N)- is now no more.” 

You breathe in and out… 

In and out...

You try to control the fast pace that your soul just reached. This was so much worse than you thought it was going to be… Rudinn and Seam- They would think that you were dead. Even worse- They would think that you murdered a queen. 

You didn’t want them to think of you like that. You didn’t want that to be what you leave behind! You would never be able to see either of them again and tell them the truth. A single tear falls down your cheek. 

“That card… it contains your new name. You’ll be briefed more on the details later.” M-maybe… there was a positive side to this. Jevil… would think your dead as well so that means that you’ll be free from him. But at the cost of the only two darkners that give you joy, you didn’t care.

“You have only two options you either fall into the King of Diamonds will or you enjoy a new life with my son. I believe I know which one you’ll choose.” The King grabs the folder on the table and he places it back into his lower mouth in between his teeth. “Now, shall we continue our game?” He seizes the checkerboard moving it back in front of the two of you. 

In the recesses of your mind, a lobe of your brain snapped away from the rest of it. How dare he… How dare he throw away your life just for his benefit…? He dare he treat this as if he's being charitable to you? How dare he touch your face to look at you like your some kind of object?! How dare he allow Jevil to roam free? The actual murderer of the Queen of Diamonds!

How dare he play this sick twisted game of life and death with you just for you to be forced to be his nanny?

You bite down on your lip, feeling a slow rising rage engulf your soul. Your choices don’t matter, they never matter. You’re just being dragged from place to place by an obsessive jester and you can’t do anything to stop it. You are so tired of being thrown into the dirt… 

You have a choice here, and you’re going to make it matter. 

You stare down at the board in front of you. You only had two knights and a king. The knight piece of your side kind of looked like the current Ace of Spades however this one had a mouth on its stomach, unlike the one currently in the position. 

You look through the board and you see an opportunity, a shining beacon of hope for winning his game. The King of Spade’s king was out in the open. Only a single pawn was next to it to protect it. 

You move your knight to the side, before moving it again and landing right on the King’s queen piece. “No, no you don’t know what I’ll pick.” You seeth all of the fear from before becoming nothing but dust from your anger. 

“Do you think that Jevil would allow me to be imprisoned without a fight? If you send me over to the King of Diamonds I swear-” For the first time since you met the jester, you actually found a reason to be glad he was psychotically obsessed with you. “-He’ll save me.” 

The King stares down at the board, right where the Queen used to sit. Silence enters the room and suffocates both of you with its presence. The King finally raises his face up to meet yours. It looked blank, not allowing any emotions to be shared. 

You could feel some of your new-found confidence be shaken from the King’s look but then a small satisfied smile creeps onto his face. “So… THIS is who that Jigsawry was speaking of? Hahaha…” His lower mouth laughs as his smile goes even wider. 

“Impressive- This is the emotions I was hoping for…” A snarkiness was in his grin, almost sarcastically begging you to continue talking to him like that. Your teeth grind against each other causing the King’s lower mouth to break out into chuckles once again. 

“It’s a shame that wouldn’t go how you wished-” He grabs his king piece, moving it away from your knight’s path. “The King of Diamonds would reach a level of demonstrable despisement that-” He raises his hand up and he drags his finger against his throat. “-Jevil would rescue a pile of dust.” Your fingers curl up. Damn… makes sense that the King of Diamonds would execute you. 

Your emotions waver slightly when faced with death but... Your eyes narrow. You can’t let him win. “Jevil would find me long before then- I know he stalks me so he will find me long before my scheduled execution.” Your move your knight again, easily capturing a bishop stuck along the way to his king.”

The King shakes his head at the board. He grabs his own knight piece and moves it over to block your path to his king.“Well then… Do you really want to take your chances and have your knight in shining clown shoes have the possibility of failing you?” 

Your teeth lightly bite down on your tongue. He wouldn’t fail, right? He can’t go one minute without ‘MY WORLD’ this and ‘MY WORLD’ that… You grit your teeth, unsure if your logic was actually correct. You look back down on the board, looking at the new placement of the king. 

You pause for a second thinking about your next move before a plan hatches in your mind, you place down your knight piece right in front of his king piece. “Do you want to take those chances? Because Jevil knows that you’re Ace was after me- His sights will be aimed at you.” 

The King of Spades stares at you for a couple of moments before loud laughter erupts from his stomach mouth. His upper maw chuckles along with his lower one as he shakes his head. “You put so much faith in the one that's ruining your life!” The smug doubtful nature of his statement made you want to pour rocks in his shoes. 

He places his king over the knight capturing it with the greatest of ease. “What a sight to see- You trusting the one harassing you! You’re even throwing away the game how could you possibly make a rational choice?”

Despite the cruel words the King spouted at you, you could feel the corners of your mouth turn upwards. He fell for it… hook, line, and sinker. “My King, I don’t rely on faith… It's fickle and is easy to go wrong and yes, I hate Jevil with every fiber of my being but-”

You pick up your remaining knight. The placement of his king piece was just where you wanted it. “This isn’t faith at all…” You move your knight upwards and then you move him to the side and throw him down on the King of Spades king piece. “I know its a cold, hard fact.” 

The room falls completely silent as the prideful smile on his face melts away. His eyes bore into the game in front of him. “My eyes don’t dare to deceive me… My side of the board has perished.”

A rush of joy takes hold on your body staring at the King’s reaction. Finally, that bastard gets taken down a peg! His eyes peek back up at you, an indecipherable look held inside of them. “It’s been years since I’ve tasted defeat.”

It was so nice to see the King have the wind knocked out of him by your victory. Even though he crushed one of your bishops and caused nearly all of your pieces to hit the ground… You wouldn’t question it… You’re just so happy you won even with his bullshit. You lean back in your chair folding your arms. “Maybe… You shouldn’t have underestimated me-”

The lower mouth of the King lets out a soft chuckle from your comeback. A small twinkle shines from his eyes as the spade’s mouth turns its corners up to the sky. “You’re lucky that I find this all amusing…” The King stands up from his chair, looking down at you with an almost… once of pride inside of his gaze. “Otherwise, I would have left you to rot inside of a metal box for all of eternity.” 

A nervousness takes hold of your body. Oh… Maybe you shouldn’t have been so confident then. That might have resulted in that fate if you weren't lucky with how the King reacted… But God did it feel good to say that to him- it was exhilarating. You wouldn’t trade watching the smirk fall of his face for the world. 

The ground shakes as the King walks over to the door, he knocks on the door three times and a couple of seconds later the clicking of the door unlocking echoes. “I expect you to start at five a.m tomorrow...” Your eyes widen as you stand up from the chair, holding your hand out trying to get him to stop. “Wait! I never agreed to-”

The King opens the door and steps through. He takes a small glance back at you, with a menacing smirk. “DON’T keep me waiting.” He slams the door behind him and the metal of it bends from the force of the King, leaving it curved but still… impassible. You stare at the spot he once was with dread taking hostage of your soul. 

Even when you try your hardest, your choices still don’t matter. 


	21. The Handsome Menace

\  
Heavy footsteps echoed in the empty hallways. All rooms shut tight with dakners sleeping inside. All besides you and your “escort” of course. The Ace held both of your hands tightly behind your back. What a wonderful way for the King to let you know exactly how he was going to treat you… like a prisoner, forced to work otherwise be executed. All because of that damn fool…

The door in front of you gently opens, the gloved hand of the ace giving special care to not harm the inanimate object in any way. As the door moves past you the spade grabs your hands tighter. His free hand pushes against your back and tosses you into the room. You fall to the ground with a light thud as the door quickly closes behind you, with a nice audible locking sound.

You roll your eyes. Of course… You stand yourself up, dusting off the dirt and other debris that attached to you. You sigh, so this must be the new room he promised you. Your eyes travel across the space. 

The walls and floor were both the same plain black that every room was this godforsaken place. A twin-sized bed was pushed to the side of the room and had a large blue canopy overhanging it. It looked rather like it was trying to imitate the lavish beds of the kings but it's clear that it was only pretending to have that level of comfort considering how small it was. 

Were they trying to give you a false sense of importance with that? 

Whatever… Across from the bed was a storage bin. Sticking straight out of it was a large battle axe. A small smirk fell on your face by seeing it. At least you’ll have a weapon if you try to escape this place…

A small dresser sat directly beside it and it had a stack of books on top of it. You curiously step over to the pile of books picking up one off of the top of the pile. “Mew mew mystery…?” The front cover of the book had some human-looking character with cat ears and a tail with a large pink dress covering her mouth with her hands with a shocked look on her face. An outline was around what looked like to be a jar, implying that it was stolen.

Wasn’t this style called like…. Anime or something? It’s strange why they make the eyes on this character so hideously large. It makes it look kind of freaky. Your lips pressed together as you turn open the cover of the book and see the inside of it. All pages of this book were filled with pictures of these large-headed characters, hardly any words besides the dialogue.

Strangest of all was that there was multiple colorful, sticky notes poking out the pages of the book. You fill to one of them. On the note is cursive fancy writing which besides how the letters looked… it was extremely hard to read what was on the note. You could only make out the words “Ah!”, “Truth” and “Solution”.

You could sense the metaphorical question mark that appeared above your head. Someone had to put these notes in the book, they must have just forgotten to take them out before the book reached you. You close the novel and place it back down on the pile.

A table sat on the opposite side wall, with… a puzzle? On the back wall of the table, a very unfinished jigsaw puzzle stood. What… Why would this be here…? Were you supposed to solve it or something? You glance around the table and crouch down hoping to find the missing jigsaw pieces. But all that met your eyes was a… Jar of worms? The creatures wriggled around in a clear cage, clearly alive. Your forehead wrinkles… This is so much odder than that puzzle.

Maybe it was a mistake or something? Or was this a way for the King to intimidate you? Was he trying to imply that you're low enough that you sleep in the same place as the worms? That's the only theory that made any sense to you. 

You stand back up, leaving the invertebrates to stay where they were. You’ll worry about that later… for now… A different structure in the room was taking up your attention. A closet. Bifold doors separated you from whatever was on the other side.

You take a deep breath and bite your lip. Memories flooded in. All of the nights you were stuck behind the same type of door as Frisk dealt with there… parents. Sure, they just didn’t want their parents to take you away from them but… Your fists tighten.

You let out a loud sigh as you shake your head. It’s just a door… Don’t get caught up in your trauma over a piece of inanimate furniture. Seeing… Chara again must have made you go soft.

Looking down a small box, pressed right up against the black finish, right underneath the doorknob. Your mouth moves to the side, it looked like one of those wooden crates that the puzzle masters would constantly use in their creations. Why would someone put one of these right Infront of a closet through? The position of it made it impossible to open-

Was… something inside of it? Kept captive in the darkness of the inside?

Curiosity sparkled in your eyes. How interesting… You grab the box and push it gently. You grab the doorknob, opening it to reveal the mystery that was the inside.

Awestruck… You stared into the closet, your jaw-dropping. It was a mountain, a mountain made out of randomness itself. A microwave, an old pair of shoes, lots of trashed up papers, a curling iron, precious gemstones, wrapped up candy, and strangest of all roses. Lots and lots of roses, some dead, some alive. And right at the top of it all, was a piano.

A piano that now without the door holding it back started sliding down the pile. An avalanche of socks, and ripped up clothing started there descent.

You didn’t have any time to react, you only just saw the mountain and within the blink of an eye, it tumbled down onto you. The cold floor hits the back of your head and sends a ripple of pain through your body and immediately afterword’s what you could only presume would be the piano rams itself into your stomach. All of the air in your body rushes out of you. You cough violently as the oxygen leaves you.

Your mind is blank as only the pain of the situation takes hold on your body. Your vision blurs up before your arms instinctually grab the piano and fling it away from you with all of your might. Wood crushes as a cacophony of random notes play as you sit up from the ground, eagerly sucking back in air.

What just happened?

Why was that there?

Who in their right mind has all of that junk in the closet let alone a PIANO of all things-

“GOD…” A shrill voice takes you out of your thoughts. That voice… its familiar. “…DAMN IT!” Your eyes travel to the source of the sound and you bit your lip. He had a dark blue body, that was the same shade as his royal attire, with white hair that was messy and disheveled. A face that was smiling through gritted teeth while melting down his chin.

That handsome gentledarkner that made the crowds go wild. The one that preformed that awful pre-show where he just read fan mail and got gifts from the lovestruck darkners. This C-list actor… the previous babysitter, Rouxls Kaard stood in front of the wide-open door to the room.

“WORM! You are the most wriggly and destructive worm I havest ever had the displeasure of witnessing!” His eyes were downturned in anger as his hands shaped themselves into fists. before he gestures around the room. “Thouest take my position-“ He gestures his hand over the pile of things. “-and then thou ruin minest own quarters?”

“Own Quarters?” You raise an eyebrow at the darkner, your eyes narrowing at him from the accusation. “The Ace of Spades just brought me here and said that this was my room!” Your hands hit the floor as you stand back up.

The white pupils of the darkner were nowhere near you, focused on something in the pile. “Thouest takeith from me what is closest to mine soul!” Stationary on the random garbage on the floor. His long legs make simple strides to the simple wooden box. He kneels next to it and his hand rubs the top of the undamaged container. “Minest masterful puzzle! Ruined!”

“Puzzle?” You knew that those crates were always used for puzzles but does this guy seriously think that just pushing a box away was a puzzle? Wow, this guy truly is the epitome of a pretty boy. “The only puzzle here is why you put all of this junk in my room!”

A small light sparks in Rouxls soul as a smirk combs over his smooth blue face. “Thinest call that a puzzle? Geh hah hah…” He pulls his body back up, looming over you while placing his hand on his chin. “Rouxls Kaard is a puzzlemaster! The solution is so elementary even the tiniest of fleas could see the truth.”

What… What’s wrong with this guy? After seeing this guy show you knew he was full of himself but god, speaking and interacting with him is a whole new type of headache!

You blink slowly at him, your eyes squinting while the corners of your mouth fall. “Are you being serious?” Couldn’t he tell that you didn’t mean it as an actual puzzle or his he just taking the moment to shower himself in flattery?

“Yes! You truly cant’ est figure it out?” He giggles, smugness radiating out of him as he winks his eye at you. “The spadest King thought it would be for the best for me to sharest a room with you until you have proven thineself worthy to be the sole caretaker for his son!”

The nails of your fingers dig into your skin as your teeth clench up. How did the King not tell you about this? Really? You didn’t know that you would be sharing a room with this guy nor did you think you would have to work with him to understand how to take care of a child?

At least this explains all the weird stuff in the room… You look down at the pile with a disgusted look on your face. Quiet disgusting that he shoved aside so much mess… But wait… Surprisingly, many drawn pictures of Rouxls, boxes of candies, and roses were spread out around the floor. Oh! It’s the stuff that Rouxls had thrown to him on the stage… so that’s why the piano was there.

“Ughhhh…” Groans out of your mouth, truing away from the darkner and putting your face into your hands. “Of course! Why wouldn’t this happen?” You traded away your freedom, your friends- and now you don’t even get this place for yourself. You have to share it… And unlike Rudinn you didn’t think that this guy would be courteous enough to give you space.

Knocking knocks, you out of your ranting thoughts and draws your eyes to the door. The doorknob jiggles, turning and opening the plain black door. The no mouth spade stood silently on the other side. You scoff seeing the ace’s face, you knew that the king was a jerk to him and all but that isn’t enough to take away the fact that it’s his fault that your in this situation now.

Rouxls’s attention is drawn to the blue-caped darkner, his pinpoint eyes growing even thinner. “That water beetle has awoken once againith…?” The words slipped out with absolute dread soaking in the letters. The large spade coving the eyes of the ace squishes as the ace plays with his fingers. He was acting… coy?

You raise your eyebrow at his sentence. “W-water beetle?” You ask, pointing your gaze at the royal blue darkner. A thunderous groan screams out of the handsome creature’s lips as he slams his face into the box beneath him. “Thouest child is more troublesome than a fist full of fleas…” He mumbles into the create before quickly standing up.

He straightens out his back as he combs his tangled messy hair with his fingers. “Thine worm should feel grateful that the clock will strike thrice more before you have to join me in my suffering.” 

He steps in front of him his large strides quickly making his way over to the door. The spade opened the door completely bowing to Rouxls as he stepped out of the door. The instant Rouxls leaves the Ace threw his eyes back over to you his shy attitude completely gone. Although lacking emotion, his stare felt threatening. You stared back at him, your eyes narrowing into your signature icy stare. Two can play at this game.

He placed his hand on the doorknob, slowly closing the door behind him, never taking his stare off of you. He points behind you, and you regrettably forfeit your glaring contest and follow where the ace pointed. The first drawer of Rouxls’s drawers. The sound of the door shutting plays behind you, leaving the room back to only you.

So, water beetle… child… Was that a nickname he gave the King’s son? That’s the only thing you could guess with the context clues of the situation. Whatever, you’re sure that you’ll find out in time… You step towards the drawer and open it. Looking inside your eyes sparkle, your book bag! The old tattered thing was laying there on the side of the drawer. Thank goodness that they didn’t throw it out or anything!

The spark in your eyes quickly faded. Laying next to the precious item, was a pile of clothing and a… helmet? A note rested against the cumbersome hat and you grasped it crumpling it slightly as you hold it up to your face to read it.

“Dear (Y/N),

Behind this message is your new royal uniform. While the outfit is standard in this job the helmet that is included is abnormal. This object has been added to help you protect your identity from the castle.

You are required to wear all parts of the uniform including the helmet WHENEVER you are outside of your room. You are not allowed to remove the helmet for any reason outside of your room, otherwise, you may be recognized and be dusted by the King of Diamonds.

I know from the whisperings of the castle that you are a cold, anti-social person. Let’s keep it that way. Do not peruse a friendship or any sort of relationship with Rouxls Kaard. Otherwise, I will have to show you, why I am the only Ace that survived the war. 

Signed,

The Ace of Spades.”

The quietness of the room is unbearable of your mind. Your fist tightens, wrinkling the message even further. You don’t care about Rouxls Kaard. You don’t think you would ever care about Rouxls Kaard. But that stoic cardboard cutout threatening you over that just-

You grab the paper with both of your hands, ripping the message down the middle. You toss the destroyed paper on the floor, amongst the fan-trash on the floor. What makes him think that he can get away with threatening you?

Who would think that they are entitled to control who you able to talk with…?

Your thoughts pause, the anger subsiding as you stare at the crumpled mess on the floor. Jevil… Jevil would… That fool that caused you so much trauma and opened up so many scars that you’re sure that you are still bleeding.

What…

What is he going to do?

Jevil… is going to think your dead… Would he react with anger and try to take down the kingdom with him? Would he spend his days crying in sorrow from your passing? Would he take his own life? You didn’t know… You had no clue what he was going to do. You can’t predict this. 

It’s hard to predict this… Your eyes wander back down to your bookbag. Each rip on a stitch or stain told a story. You never had to deal with this situation before. You grab your old friend from the drawer before closing it. You run your hand over the damaged surface. You’ve had an idea of how to predict the jester but now… you are in a tale that you’ve never experienced before. You open the flap and pick up your classic journal.

You open it up, looking through the pages with disgust. Vandalized. Jevil left messages and changes all through your poems and riddles. Each of these pages had meaning for you, a place where you were when it happened, and the emotions of a time long gone by, all ruined by the text of a bastard.

You sit down on the bed, your butt sinking into the surface. It wasn’t as comfortable as your bed from before… and couldn’t even compare to Seams couch but it would do. You place your palm against the new additions to one of the pages, and your eyes comb over the poem that was once all that was there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Two birds

Sing in a cage

Feathers fall down

A colorful array 

Two birds

Smaller one caws

The larger one hides

Shaking from the calls

Two birds 

Stuck in a cage

Hopeless until

The red came to stay.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You move your hand away from the writings of the fool, the color of the writing a whole new purple color when compared to the red you would always write with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“TWO BIRDS IN A CAGE, DON’T HAVE TO BE LOSE THERE GLEE. HE HE HE! IF IT WAS YOU AND ME WE WOULDN’T BE TRAPPED WE WOULD BE, BE FREE!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You frown at Jevil’s “addition” to your poem. He didn’t know why you wrote that. He didn’t know what you were experiencing with that but he changed it. Just so he could put this little bit of flirting with the poem but…

It's almost poetic, isn’t it? The past is being changed by the future. The different experiences change how one sees what is far behind them. The past becomes muddied by the problems of today. Jevil and all the trouble he’s causing destroyed that time and turned it into a different story. It’s tragic yet, it’s not unfitting…

But you can only change that which is accessible to your pen. You flip to the very end of the book. Several pages were ripped out, red gently dripped down some of the remnants of the hardly clean tearing. He can never taint this… This can not be twisted into something different then what it is. In a way, it’s the most expressive piece of poetry in this book. It screams so much to you but no one would understand it besides you. And it’s able to make its point without drowning you in emotions, unlike…

The page before the great ripening stared you down, practically begging to be thought off and remembered again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“From pictures and paintings smashed off the walls,

A memory of those we once knew,

Clinging to pieces already scattered,

Into the dust that we will be soon,

Let me know, honest, why in this wretched story

You call me amore, without blinking your eyes.

That you hold me at dusk, and fade away my thoughts

The track that I lay, why would you want to stay?

But you smile instead and with a pep in your step. 

“Can’t you see that I truly love all that you do?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“WHY CAN’T YOU, YOU SEE THAT I TRULY LOVE ALL YOU DO?”


End file.
